A pile of rotting tomatoes was recently found in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.
In an interview with TeleRadyo, Jose Roberto Dizer said he went around the back of the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) and saw sacks of rotting tomatoes. He said he estimated that it had been a few days since they were thrown away.
Based on the story of the farmers, he said, there is an oversupply of tomatoes, but it appears not to be in the province because Bambang is flooded with tomatoes and other vegetables from Ifugao and Quirino.
“Yung naitapon po kasi na ‘yun, yun po ay galing na sa agricultural terminal. Nabili na raw po ‘yun. Kaso nga lang, ang problema po ay dumaan na po, na-stock na daw po, mga 2 days,” said Dizer.
“Maraming kamatis dito sa Nueva Vizcaya, binabagsakan po dito sa Vizcaya, eh. Talagang pagkaka-stock po talaga sa dami nga po,” he added.
“Kung talagang lilibutin po natin ang Vizcaya ngayon, especially sa mga kabundukan, meron at meron ka pong madadananan na nakatambak na kamatis.”
Farmer Joemar Sabawil confirmed the oversupply of tomatoes.
Piles of rotting tomatoes found in Nueva Vizcaya
He complained that the price was low due to oversupply. So many farmers just don’t harvest.
“Sa harvest ko lang po ano, 4 na araw lang po ang nakakalipas, talagang oversupply ang kamatis. Kapag po nagha-harvest kami at nagpunta sa NVAT, sobrang dami po talaga ng nakatambak na kamatis. Kaya mababa na po talaga ang presyo,” he said.
Sabawil also said that no one from the Department of Agriculture (DA) is helping to haul the tomatoes to the Kadiwa Centers. So they appeal to solve the problem.
The general manager of NVAT explained the piles of rotting tomatoes found.
“Yung mga Class C o yung mga small, eh halos hindi na nabibili. Eh yung naitapon, yung natulog na ng 2, 3 gabi, sa terminal, hindi pa mabili, mga 80 percent yun sira na. Kaya talagang ang patakaran ng terminal, back to farm,” said Gilbert Cumila.
“Ang problema, yung naupahan na magliligpit nang maayos, itinapon lang kung saan-saan,” he added.
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