Tomato farmers in the Caaguazú department are facing a severe crisis, selling their product at prices that represent significant losses. Currently, a kilogram of tomatoes is being sold for just 3,000 guaranis at the farm, while the production cost ranges between 6,000 and 7,000 guaranis per kilogram. This discrepancy is generating substantial economic losses for the farmers.
The farmers dispute data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), which estimates a national monthly production of approximately 8 million kilograms of tomatoes. According to the farmers, actual production does not even reach 4 million kilograms, due to adverse weather conditions this year, such as heavy rains, hail, and frost, which drastically reduced crop yields.
An emblematic case is that of farmer Hernán Varela, from the Blas Garay colony in Coronel Oviedo. He has 11,000 tomato plants, with a production cost of about 10,000 guaranis per plant, totaling an investment of approximately 110 million guaranis. Varela reported that, by August, he had managed to sell tomatoes for only 30 million guaranis and estimates that, at best, his total earnings will reach 60 million, implying a loss of nearly 50 million guaranis.
The farmers attribute the crisis primarily to the massive influx of smuggled tomatoes, which saturates the domestic market and drives down prices. They state that national demand is about 6 million kilograms per month, a volume not being met by local production due to weather problems, which, in theory, should result in better prices, but is not what is happening.
Faced with many families falling into debt after investments in supplies and labor, the tomato growers have requested that national authorities strengthen border controls and take the fight against smuggling seriously. They warn that, without effective measures, numerous families may abandon the activity due to accumulated losses. Attempts to contact the Director of Marketing at the MAG, agronomist Ernesto Sotelo, for an official position, were unsuccessful.