The National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NATPAN) has called on the federal government to intervene in the huge post-harvest losses suffered by the association.
Rabiu Zuntu, chairman of NATPAN made this appeal on Tuesday during an interview in Lagos with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to the chairman, the federal government’s intervention is crucial in helping the sector cut down on post-harvest losses experienced annually.
“Most farmers are smallholders and cannot afford loans to purchase the equipment needed to reduce post-harvest losses,” Zuntu explained.
“One of the ways to reduce post-harvest losses in tomato cultivation is to increase the use of plastic crates in the transportation of the produce from the farm to the market; from the north to other parts of the country.
“With the use of plastic crates for the transportation of tomatoes from one part of Nigeria to the other, the rate of post-harvest losses will be reduced,” the chairman said.
“One of the ways to reduce post-harvest losses in tomato cultivation is to increase the use of plastic crates in the transportation of the produce from the farm to the market; from the north to other parts of the country.
According to him, the association is in various partnerships to help smallholder tomato farmers cut down on their losses through mechanisation.
“As an association, we are in partnership with some existing and new processing facilities to cut down post-harvest losses and increase the income of our farmers.
“With these tomatoes processing machines, even the glut we usually witness between January and February every year will be considerably reduced.
“The production of local tomato processors is one of the cleanest ways of drying tomatoes and adding value as well as increasing the farmers’ income and the growth of the sector.
“Some non-governmental organisations have also introduced solar dryers for tomato preservation.
“The farmers have shown interest in it, so, we are going to adopt it, despite the high cost of the dryer, some farmers cannot afford it.
“So, as an association, we are gathering farmers in clusters to be able to afford the solar dryers and reduce post-harvest losses. Hence, the an urgent need for government intervention in the sector,” Zuntu said.
“With these tomatoes processing machines, even the glut we usually witness between January and February every year will be considerably reduced.
“The production of local tomato processors is one of the cleanest ways of drying tomatoes and adding value as well as increasing the farmers’ income and the growth of the sector.
“Some non-governmental organisations have also introduced solar dryers for tomato preservation.
