MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday said high tomato prices may be tamed by the end of January or early February.
“Production may resume this January until February. Start din ng (It’s also the start of) dry season and then expectedly, the prices can go back to normal during this period, by end of January or early February,” DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in an interview.
De Mesa said the series of typhoons in 2024 have brought “extensive damage” to solanaceous family crops, which include tomatoes, bell peppers, and chili peppers in Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol.
“Nagkaroon ng significant reduction sa production ng kamatis (there has been a significant reduction in the production of tomatoes) by 45 percent going into the fourth quarter last year,” he noted.
As of January 4, prices of tomatoes in Metro Manila range from PHP200/kg. to to PHP350/kg, according to the DA-Bantay Presyo (price watch).
This is significantly higher than last year’s PHP40/kg. to PHP100/kg. price range for the same period.
Agri damage
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center reported around PHP14.22 million worth of agricultural damage due to the combined effects of the shear line, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), and northeast monsoon.
These include reported production losses in rice, livestock and poultry, high-value crops, corn, and infrastructure machinery, among others, affecting 1,379 farmers.
The rice sector remained the hardest hit with around PHP10.1 million worth of damage; followed by livestock and poultry, PHP3.37 million; high-value crops, PHP611,500; corn, PHP58,100; and infrastructure valued at PHP20,000.
The DA-DRRM assured available interventions including the distribution of agricultural inputs, utilization of the quick response fund (QRF), PHP25,000 loanable amount with zero interest payable for three years; and indemnification fund. (PNA)