Tons of ripe tomatoes harvested around the town of Tinoc in Ifugao province were dumped due to a lack of buyers. Dr. Domingo Mariano, a Tinoc municipal agriculturist, said the no-vaccination-no-entry policy at checkpoints was preventing buyers from reaching the markets.
One farmer said she had to take back at least two tons of unsold ripe tomatoes from the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal, as she had no buyers for the produce. A local trader reported that at least six more tons of tomatoes were left to rot or taken away by farmers as cattle feed.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said he had ordered the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera to investigate the matter. Dar also directed local government units to look for buyers and deploy trucks to transport the tomatoes to the markets.
Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net