The Department of Agriculture (DA) has indicated that the escalation in tomato prices within the Philippines is expected to stabilize by the end of January or early February. The Assistant Secretary of the DA, Arnel de Mesa, highlighted that the resumption of production during this period, coinciding with the onset of the dry season, is anticipated to normalize prices. The adverse weather conditions, including a series of typhoons in 2024, inflicted "extensive damage" on solanaceous family crops such as tomatoes, bell peppers, and chili peppers, particularly in regions like Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Bicol. This led to a notable reduction in tomato production by 45 percent as the fourth quarter of last year approached.
Current tomato prices in Metro Manila have surged to between PHP200/kg (approximately $3.64/kg) and PHP350/kg (approximately $6.37/kg), a stark increase from the PHP40/kg ($0.73/kg) to PHP100/kg ($1.82/kg) price range recorded in the same period the previous year. The Department of Agriculture-Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DA-DRRM) Operations Center has reported agricultural losses amounting to PHP14.22 million (around $259,000) due to the cumulative impacts of the shear line, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), and northeast monsoon, affecting 1,379 farmers. The rice sector suffered the most, with damages estimated at PHP10.1 million ($184,000), followed by losses in livestock and poultry, high-value crops, corn, and infrastructure machinery. The DA-DRRM has assured that interventions are in place, including the distribution of agricultural inputs, access to the quick response fund (QRF), a PHP25,000 ($455) loanable amount with zero interest payable over three years, and an indemnification fund.
Source: PNA