Tomatoes in Nueva Vizcaya Turn to Waste After Not Being Delivered to Market
NUEVA VIZCAYA – Truckloads of nearly ripe tomatoes were dumped after not taken to the market due to scheduling and travel restrictions.
In a Facebook post of Ifugao Highland Farmers Forum, tons of tomatoes were turn into waste after being left at the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya by farmers.
According to the post, tomatoes were thrown out due to transportation restrictions. Farmers are asked to entertain “MWF Scheduling” because they only allowed to transport goods on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only.
Truckloads of tomatoes and other vegetables like bell pepper are now harvested especially from Tinoc. And since tomatoes are highly perishable especially in today’s heat, it is only a day’s delay to sell out it will immediately ripe.
The price for big and half ripe tomatoes is currently ranging at P8-P12 per kilogram (wholesale). The Facebook post also mentioned that there were farmers selling a kilo of big tomatoes for a surprisingly low price of P5.
At this price, small and medium-sized ones will be harder to sell. Farmers will usually not harvest small tomatoes because for they have difficulties on selling it after they brought in to the trading post.
Not being able to sell them means more losses for them. At the time tomatoes become overripe, the price may be lower than the suggested. Breakeven prices, according to the page, should be around P15-P20. Although markets can still accept or absorb these tomatoes, consumers are not likely to buy a pack of overripe tomatoes.
This is not the first incident of vegetables turn to waste. Previously, tons of carrots were dumped due to transportation restrictions going in and out of Metro Manila last March due to the threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
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