DOST to tomato growers: Make chichamatis, ToMango juice

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is urging tomato farmers to turn their harvest into processed products like “chichamatis” or vacuum-fried tomato crisps amid reports that tomato farmgate prices have dropped to just P3 to P5 per kilo in Regions 2 and 3.

DOST Region 3 director Julius Cesar Sicat said their agency “had developed numerous technologies on tomato processing for the past decades.”

“These technologies are available to any interested party. We could train and assist micro, small and medium enterprises, cooperatives or peoples’ orgs who are interested to process and commercialize,” Sicat explained.

Aside from the chichamatis that Sicat described as “super delicious that can be a kid’s snack or pulutan,” the DOST also noted the possibility of turning tomatoes into other food prototypes like ToMango juice, tomato sauce, tomato mango catsup and tomato salsa, among others.
A test market implementation of these products at a mall in Pampanga several months back showed promising results.

“The test market implementation enabled residents of Region 3 to try the Northern Luzon innovative food prototypes and have shown interest in marketing these in the region as well as in other parts of the country,” Sicat added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) encouraged the public to cook native foods with the observance of Filipino Food Month this April under the theme, “Pagkaing Sariling Atin, Mahalin at Pagyamanin.”

On Monday, the DA spearheaded this year’s celebration of Filipino Food Month or Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino with a series of events focusing on promoting Filipino cuisine and culinary traditions.

This month’s events were in collaboration with the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement, Department of Tourism and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.