Around 40 to 50 crates of tomatoes were discarded in Brgy. Masoc, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, according to Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal (NVAT) Manager Engr. Gilbert Cumila.
The discarded tomatoes may have been left unsold at the NVAT for about three to four nights.
Cumila pointed out that one reason for the disposal is that buyers are selective, opting for high-quality tomatoes due to their knowledge of the produce’s short shelf life.
He noted that the tomatoes were likely not dumped all at once but accumulated over several days.
In addition to tomatoes, various vegetables from NVAT that were not sold by farmers heading back to Ambaguio are often discarded in the area as well.
Despite the increase in tomato harvests in September compared to June, July, and August, there is no oversupply at the NVAT as prices have not dropped.
Currently, the market price for tomatoes is between P25-P30 per kilo, while the production cost stands at P12 per kilo.