Tomato scarcity in Paraguay says grower
Rivas said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) offered credits to build greenhouses…Rivas said that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) offered credits to build greenhouses and other programs in their visits to the field but that, in practice, these didn't reach producers.
They say they don't know where all the resources of the MAG end up, that the system of assistance to producers has changed, but if there is help one cannot see it with the naked eye.
"They talk about greenhouses to solve the problems of products such as tomato, but the aid does not arrive," said Rivas.
"The issue of high prices of tomatoes is as a result of the scarcity of the product, the unstable climate, and the emergence of pests in the plants that led to a small supply in the region, not only in Paraguay," he added.
He said producers needed to invest so they wouldn't face these issues every year, but that it was very expensive to do so and that it would be very difficult to improve the offer to consumers without the help of credit entities.
According to a survey we carried out in several shopping centres, the Santa Cruz tomato is being sold between $12,000 and $17,000 Guarani per kilo. The 18 kilo box of this same variety of tomato has prices that range between $150,000 and $200,000 guaranies.
6,100 tons of tomatoes are needed per month to supply the local market. According to the marketing direction of the MAG, current production only supplies 50% of the country's demand.
Cabbage
Rivas met with Francisco Regis Mereles, President of the national service of quality and plant health and seeds (Senave), to complain about the entry of contraband cabbage into the country.
He said that there is an overproduction of national cabbage, which is lost due to a lack of sales, especially in the Central Market.
He also said this was a problem that especially affected commodities entering illegally from Argentina.