Tomato farmers of Ifugao are poised to deliver the second round of 8.9 metric tons (MT) of local tomatoes to a sardines processor in Bulacan, a deal made possible by the Department of Agriculture Cordillera’s (DA-CAR) to help strengthen the market linkage of farmers to prospective institutional buyers or markets.
Tosen Food Inc. earlier agreed to purchase 40 MT of tomatoes every month from the tomato-producing municipalities of Hungduan, Hingyon and Asipulo in Ifugao starting January 2024.
After the initial delivery of 10.8 MT of tomatoes, specific adjustments in the kind of tomatoes produced by the farmers were identified to conform with the quality standards required by the company.
Tosen requires ripe tomatoes that will undergo processing while keeping semi-ripe tomatoes to a minimum before the delivery.
It is also partial to the removal of tomato crowns during consolidation, cleaning and sorting before delivery and segregation of tomatoes by variety with the corresponding markings to determine traceability.
The Agriculture Program Coordinating Office (APCO) Ifugao and the representative of the Provincial Sectoral Chairman for High-Value Crops of Ifugao will oversee monitoring and documentation of the agreement.
Tomato farmers from Ifugao started the delivery of three tons of tomatoes weekly to three companies in Metro Manila in October 2023, after agreeing to the cost structure developed by CAR AMAD and World Food Expo (WOFEX) consistent with the cost envisioned by farmers’ cooperative associations.