Group seeks floor price on tomatoes amid oversupply

Farmers' group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has called on the government to implement a floor price on tomatoes to help farmers amid the oversupply.

According to Maki Pulido's report in “24 Oras” on Friday, the per kilo price of tomatoes dropped from P320 in January to P40 in February.

“Nakikita lang natin presyo, mababa ang kamatis. Masaya lahat and we’re ok with that. Pero yung bahagi ng producers natin, at least man lang sana mabawi yung puhunan, magkaroon sana ng floor price,” said SINAG Executive Director Jayson Cainglet.

(We are okay that many are happy with the price drop in tomatoes. But we feel sorry for our producers, because they should at least be able to get back their investment. So, we hope for the implementation of a floor price.)

While the price drop favors consumers, this puts the farmers in a disadvantage including farmer Frederick Miguel who only earned P4 per kilo recently because of the oversupply.

Miguel said that his total earnings of P9,680 will still be deducted with the payment for those who helped pick the tomatoes and the driver of the delivery truck.

He also had to shell out P600 to cover all the expenses.

“Abono po kami pagkaganun na po talaga ang magiging presyo…Uutang na naman po ulit,” said Miguel.

(We have to shell out more money if the price will stay like that…So we have to borrow more money again.)

Meanwhile, farmer Raymundo Beltran has no choice but to sell his tomatoes for only P5 per kilo.

“Sana naman magawan ng paraan ng gobyerno kung paano mare-remedyuhan 'yung ganito kalagayan,” he said.

(I hope the government will do something to resolve the situation.)

But the issue of oversupply has been experienced several times in the past, which led some farmers to throw away their tomatoes.

GMA Integrated News reached out to the Department of Agriculture for comment. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BAP, GMA Integrated News