Carrot farmers suffer losses due to oversupply

Some carrot farmers in Tinoc, Ifugao have resorted to selling their products at a loss after oversupply and lack of buyers drove prices down.

According to Jonathan Andal’s report on “24 Oras” on Wednesday, Tinoc farmers only managed to sell their carrots at P5 to P10 per kilo from the previous 20-peso price point.

“Mahirap talaga [ibenta] ngayon. Sana tulungan tayo ng gobyerno na maibenta man lang ang aming produkto, kahit lang ‘yung P20 puwede na ‘yun,” carrot farmer Josephine Pilley said.

Farmers disposed other carrots that were not sold.

The carrots were supposed to be harvested in April, but farmers put it off because prices then were low.

Over a month later, their luck had not changed.

“Napakasakit. Inaasahan mo naman na kikita ka, ibili mo sa ibang kailangan, e wala naman. Wala naman kaming gagamitin na processor or gagawa ng juice, wala naman kaya talagang kung ganitong mababa, balik na lang sa garden,” Pilley said.

Pilley said she loaned P100,000 for capital but only managed to generate P50,000.

She hopes to receive assistance from the government.

“‘Yan nga ang hinihintay namin e, lagi kaming nagtatanong sa opisina kung meron na ‘yung sinabi nilang national government na loan na walang interest e wala naman,” Pilley said.

Dr. Violeta Salda, director of Benguet State University’s Food Science Research and Innovation Center, said farmers can bring their harvest to the processing center in La Trinidad, Benguet.

The processing center makes noodles, pasta, canton,  chips, crackers, seasonings, and other similar products out of vegetables.

However, the center’s problem is its lack of manpower and funds to purchase ingredients.

“This center can buy, kaso nga lang kaunti ‘yung mga tao, siguro ayusin natin ‘yung accounting system,” Salda said. —Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News