Mindanaotoday.com | DOST-10 sees end to tomato dumping in NorMin
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Farmers need not throw fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, once supply glut and low buying price occur, science and technology agency officials said in a forum in Cagayan de Oro on Tuesday, October 25.
Engr. Sancho Mabborang, Department of Science and Technology’s undersecretary for regional operations, said dumping of tomatoes and other farm produce could be minimized, if not eliminated, once “portasol” or portable solar speed-drying thermal trays are rolled out to farmers.
This was Mabborang’s response when asked if there are technologies his agency is promoting to extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, so that throwing them along the road or in farms to just rot can be prevented.
Three months ago, photos of dumped tomatoes in Lantapan town, Bukidnon went viral and the same happened in Malitbog town, also of Bukidnon, a week later because buying price was so low and not enough recover just for transport and handling costs.
“Three hundred units of portasol are being rolled out in the region (Northern Mindanao) and another 200 next year,” said Mabborang, who is concurrently officer-in-charge of DOST-10 which is hosting the National Science and Technology Week activities until Sunday, October 30.
He said the portasol technology, which was invented in 2013 by Francisco Pagayon, president of a Quezon City-based Filipino Investors Society Producers Cooperative, was originally intended for palay drying, but was later proven to be useful for other farm produce.
Engr. Romela Ratilla, DOST-10 assistant regional director for technical operations, said farmers of Lantapan Vegetable Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative would be among the recipients of portasol units through the Bukidnon provincial government.
Ratilla recalled that DOST Bukidnon personnel immediately proceeded to Lantapan upon learning of the tomato dumping incident and discussed the technologies which tomato farmers may adopt for value-adding and prevent wastage.
“With the use of portasol (drying panels), tomatoes would be dried before these are processed into tomato paste and even catsup,” the DOST-10 official said, adding that vacuum packaging was also introduced for tomatoes and other vegetables and fruits to delay or lengthen the shelf-life.
Portasol units, she said, would also be rolled out to fisherfolk, particularly in the coastal town of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental because the innovative solar-drying technology has also been effective and efficient for dried-fish production.
DOST-10’s Virgilio Fuertes, a supervising science research specialist, said that even before portasol units came they have already been assisting farmers with mobile fruit and vegetable drying technologies for surplus produce.
Fuertes said DOST-10 has been closely working with the Department of Agriculture in the setting up and management of Food Terminals in the farming villages of Miarayon, Talakag town of Bukidnon and in Claveria town of Misamis Oriental.
Miarayon and Talakag are among the region’s top grower of high-value vegetables that include, among others, bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, bell peppers and even plum tomatoes.
This year’s NSTW activities include the Presentation of STI Foresight at the Mindanao Food Congress on Friday, October 28, Launching of Ready-To-Eat Complementary Food Products and the DOST-Starbooks Quiz (October 27), Stakeholders Awards (October 26), Investors Forum, and the Signing between DOST and Local Governments of Memorandum of Understanding on Smart Cities and Communication Project (October 25).
Since Wednesday until Sunday, October 30, Science and Technology Exhibits and a Mobile Planetarium are opened for public viewing at The Atrium, Limketkai Center. (MT)
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