The Nation Newspaper

Tag: tomato

  • Tomato troubles

    •Nigeria must develop the enormous potential of its agro-allied industry

    A recent declaration that Nigeria is losing an estimated US$ 1 billion annually due to the importation of processed tomato products underlines the tragedy of a nation that has consistently refused to wean itself off its unwholesome dependence on crude oil for its foreign exchange earnings.

    This utterly unnecessary situation is compounded by allegations that most of the imported tomato products are unfit for human consumption because they are either fake or substandard. Foreign businessmen are said to go to Asia, where cheap tomato products are produced through the addition of starch and colouring, and then smuggled into Nigeria.

    Why does Nigeria waste so much of its own agricultural produce, only to import much of it in processed form at great cost in foreign exchange? The answer lies in the inability of the nation to develop a fully integrated agricultural sector encompassing cultivation, transportation, storage, processing and export.

    In the instance of tomato production, for example, the country is said to waste up to 70 per cent of its annual crop mainly due to post-harvest wastage emanating from inadequate storage and the absence of processing facilities. Such wastage is all the more alarming given the huge potential: Nigeria is ranked the second largest producer of tomatoes in Africa, and 13th in the world. Tomato production is said to take up an estimated one million hectares producing 1.701 million tonnes per annum at an average of between 20 and 30 tonnes per hectare.

    Tomatoes are just one of a whole range of agricultural products the country is fully or potentially self-sufficient in, but which are imported in processed form from other nations. They include rice, oranges and other fruits. Even yam and cassava, where Nigeria’s comparative advantage is outstanding, and whose processed products are in demand globally, are vulnerable to this situation.

    The consequences for Nigeria are obvious. Although the country’s food import bill dropped from U.S. $7 billion to U.S. $ 4.3 billion in 2014, the reduced amount is still far too large for a nation that was an agricultural superpower at independence in 1960. In addition, national economic development is stunted due to a consistent inability to build up a thriving agro-allied industrial base; thriving economies like Malaysia, South Africa, Israel and Brazil all got their initial economic boost in this way.

    If Nigeria is to resolve the related issues of post-harvest waste and the development of agro-allied industry, it must first look at the crucial issue of crop storage. No matter how bounteous the nation’s harvest is, such productivity will count for little if the crops cannot be stored. During the Babangida era, there was a renewed emphasis on the construction of a network of storage silos across the nation, but it appears that successive administrations have not displayed a similar zeal. This must change.

    Another strategy is to fast-track the construction of food-processing plants as part of the overall agricultural expansion strategy, and to promulgate legislation that would reduce the importation of processed food items. Many companies in the food-processing sub-sector continually complain about the way in which cheap imports have devastated their business. Unless uncontrolled importation and smuggling are fought to a standstill, there can be no sense in setting up indigenous food-processing firms.

    It might also be necessary for the country’s politicians to lead by example, by emphasising the use of locally-processed food products at state occasions. It is the height of hypocrisy to make all the right noises about the agro-allied industry, only to waste scarce resources on food imported from other nations. The sales of processed palm wine are negligible in Nigeria, but the country is one of the world’s top consumers of French champagne.

    Ultimately, the drive to develop a robust agro-allied industry and substantially reduce post-harvest waste will require determination, consistency and patriotism.

     

  • Firm plans multimillion naira tomato project to empower farmers

    Firm plans multimillion naira tomato project to empower farmers

    Vegefresh Group, a top agro business conglomerate is building multimillion naira tomato processing factory at Imeko, Ogun State to support farmers to grow more high-value crops.

    Speaking in Lagos after receiving a delegation of chiefs from Imeko, led by Oba Benjamin Oyeditan-Olantie, the Group Chaiman, Prince Samuel Johnson Samuel, said the project which will also involve tomato cultivation in 3000 hectares, noted that out of the amount, contract farmers will be engaged to farm on 2000 hectares.

    By engaging the farmers, Samson said the company will protect them from losses as tomato is vulnerable to price shifts and external market factors.

    The effects, according to him, are hard felt with farmers losing so much in earnings, affecting the employment of hundreds of thousand people involved in production as small-scale producers were unable to cover costs of production.

    Given the structural changes within the sector, he noted it is clear that large numbers of farmers will never be able to effectively compete in the transformed market, adding that the company needs to  work with them to identify opportunities that will provide a higher income.

    In addition, the projects being implemented specifically target rural development as it promote new opportunities for trade, investment and rural economic prosperity by promoting agricultural diversification and off-farm employment for the area’s inhabitants.

    The company, he said  is prepared to assist farmers with access to input, including seed, fertiliser and know-how.

    Farmers, according to him, are facing serious logistical problems, and crops are often unable to make it to the market in time.

    According to him, storage facilities are insufficient, so they lose their harvest.

    To address this, he said his organisation is establishing a crushing  plant to help farmers process their  produce.

    The other plan, according to him, is to increase the land area under irrigation using available water resources.

    The plan is to increase investment in water storage and secure water sources.

    Samuel said the company needs to expand irrigation to cover the whole farm area instead of depending on rain-fed agriculture.

    He said Vegefresh had a major tomato processing plant in Bauchi State, which has not been functioning because of the activities of Boko Haram.

    To this end, he said the company decided to implement its South West development plan, pending when the activities of the insurgents will be brought under control.

    The Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Oyeditan-Olantie said the community is ready to support Vegefresh to promote economic diversification and competitiveness of the area.

    According to him, increasing the overall competitiveness of the sector through the project run, the  monarch noted, would transform smallholder production and marketing systems to boost productivity and incomes.

    He thanked the group for embarking on the project as it will help to  develop profitable agricultural product value chains and make farms more attractive to agribusi-ness in the value chain.

    If it pulls through, the project would have unleashed its own agrarian revolution — as well a modest green revolution throughout the community.

    Together with locals, the project is organising tomato-growing farmers into groups and will   taught them the basics of cropping, farm economics, tomato and tomato seedling production, business planning, and marketing.

    With the project’s assistance, participating farmers could increase their tomato yield.

    The increase yield will result in additional income for the participating farmers.

    In addition to increasing profits, the project will facilitate large, group quantity purchases of fertiliser, seeds, and other inputs, thus resulting in a more than decrease in the price.

  • Boost for tomato industry

    To boost food  production, the  Department  For  International  Development(DFID) has partnerede  farmers to improve  tomato cultivation and post-harvest losses.

    The Intervention Manager, GEMS4, a United Kingdom backed  Project , Mr. Richard Ogundele, announced  this  at a workshop for farmers in Kaduna.

    He noted that the issue of post-harvest losses, which range from 30 to 40 percent in the case of tomato, has been a source of worry to most farmers.

    He  said  farmers   produce large quantities of tomatoes annually but suffer huge post-harvest losses especially during the major harvesting season.

    Ogundele added  that  the  adoption of the proposed solutions of the project by the stakeholders will reduce the loss of produce from 40  per cent  to five per cent , as well as drive capacity building in good handling practices(GHP) and improve supply chain operations.

    The  other issue  is  to   enable farmers  to have a ready market for their produce to spare them the ordeal they normally go through after harvesting the produce.

    He was optimistic that the project when completed will provide jobs for the youth and also reduce poverty.

    Akin to the ones earlier held, the workshop was developed to enlighten stakeholders on the potential economic benefits of  tackling the existing challenges faced by the perishable produce sector which currently results in 40% loss of produce in transit. Key features of the workshop include the proposal of business solutions, exposure to Good Handling Practices (GHP), capacity building opportunities, discussion on the use of multi-purpose crates to curtail loss and the inclusion of women to drive empowerment through the provision of supply-support services.The cross section of stakeholders which included representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (Horticulture unit), Bank of Agriculture (BOA), CBN/NIRSAL, Jaiz Bank, Dizengoff, as well as tomato and other perishable produce dealers and dealer associations expressed satisfaction at the quality information made available by the resource persons.

  • Kwankwaso decries tomato farmers’ inability to meet demand

    Kwankwaso decries tomato farmers’ inability to meet demand

    Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has regretted the inability of Nigeria to meet domestic demand for tomatoes, despite ranking 16th on the World’s Tomatoes production hierarchy. He spoke at the inauguration of the National Tomato Technical Working Group at the Government House in Kano.

    In a statement, signed by the Governor’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, Kwankwaso lamented that the country’s tomato farmers have continued to lose millions of naira due to lack of capacity to process, preserve and market the commodity.

    “Nigeria accounts for about 10.8 per cent of Africa’s and 1.2 per cent of total global tomato production yet, we have not been able to meet domestic demand, and our farmers lose an estimated 45 per cent of their tomato income, amounting to millions of naira, mainly due to the bottleneck and other related issues,’’ Kwankwaso argued.

    According to Kwankwaso what is more painful is the fact that Kano farmers are often the greatest losers because the state remains the highest tomato producing state in the country, with dry season cultivation of over 30, 000 hectares, under the Kano River Irrigation project, covering three local government areas.

    He, therefore, stressed the need for government’s intervention to address the situation, pointing out that several attempts were made by investors, aimed at salvaging the huge losses but could not yield the desired results due to unfavourable conditions.

    As part of measures to improve the productivity of farmers and reduce to the minimum high post-harvest losses suffered by them, Kwankwaso disclosed that his administration will start the Kano Commercial Crops Development Initiative, as well as expand access to several agriculture development finances and establishment of the Kura export processing village.

    In his remarks, CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, expressed confidence that the tomato industry has great potential in contributing to the development of Nigeria’s economy, as the country is the second largest producer of tomato in Africa, pointing out that 50 per cent of tomato produced in the country is lost due to lack of storage, leading to a huge annual import bill on tomato paste to the tune of N16 billion.

  • Benefits of tomato juice

    Benefits of tomato juice

    Tomatoes are a natural health secrets that provided by the Earth for humans.

    •Tomato juice contains large amounts of vitamin ‘A’ which helps in improving one’s eye sight.

    •It is good for skin care: Tomato juice benefits for skin as well as tomato juice benefits for face are widely known among people all over the world. One drunk twice a day, it is found in some cases to reduce the presence of acne and get rid of an acne infection faster. This juice can aid in the prevention of damage to cells in the skin. Tomato juice benefits for the face also include the prevention of pimples. One can make a face pack using fresh tomato base. One should apply this puree over the affected areas of one’s skin at least twice in a day for 10 to 15 minutes each time. Tomato juice is also great in its ability to tighten open pores. Rinse this mixture off with some warm water. This tomato juice can mixed with other fresh fruits or vegetables to make great face packs.

    •The vitamin ‘A’ found in Tomato juice is also beneficial for good hair growth. It helps in keeping one’s hair strong and shiny.

    •Tomato juice is recommended for people who are suffering from heart conditions or who are recovering from heart attacks.  This juice is almost always recommended for most patients who are recovering from various diseases.

    •It helps to lower blood pressure.

    •Vitamin C is also known for its ability to enhance one’s immune system. One can try drinking tomato juice for arthritis related problems. Tomato juice also helps in the prevention of inflammation and pain that is associated with arthritis. It helps in strengthening the bones.

    •Tomato juice is also known for its ability to prevent constipation problems. This juice should be mixed with fresh spinach juice. It helps to activate the person’s liver and thus prevent them getting constipated.

    •It is also good in treating diabetes because of its nutritional properties.

    •It is for kidney stones and gall stones patients. For this, the patients are advised to eat the tomatoes without any seeds in it. Tomato juice also works as a natural antiseptic and thus helps in guarding the human body against any kind of common infections in day to day life.

    Moreso, raw tomato juice is found to contain potassium. This is an essential mineral that is required for the human body to reduce malaise and general overall body weakness.

    Source: The Alternative Daily