Tomato price’ll crash — Farmers


TOMATO farmers have assured Nigerians that tomato prices would crash in October this year.

Acting under the auspices of Tomatoes and Orchard Producers Association of Nigeria, TOOPAN, weekend, the farmers said the current demand by those who consumed fresh tomatoes and large industries using the product as raw materials far outstripped the current level of supply.

However, in spite of the challenges in the value chain, Nigeria remains the second-largest tomato producer in Africa after Egypt, producing about 1.8 million to 2.3 million metric tonnes annually, with some peak estimates hitting closer to 3.6 million tonnes during optimal harvest years.  

President of TOOPAN, Mr Oyeleke Bola, who disclosed this, said: “We will be looking at October 2026, prices will crash by that time.  

‘’October is going to be the next harvesting month, and at that time, there will be huge harvests because a lot of our farmers will be harvesting their tomatoes to complement others, so we can have enough in the market, and when we have enough in the market, the price will surely come down.

“By October, we will be harvesting tomatoes from Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, down South-West in Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, and part of Lagos State, which is Badagry and Epe areas.

“Our small-scale farmers are working very hard. Nigerians should have patience with us as all of us need to come together to make sure we solve this problem together.

“Currently, we are doing 25, 30, and 35 tonnes per hectare. Some farmers in the north are doing 30 to 35 tonnes per hectare, while some farmers in the South-West are doing 25 to 30 tonnes per hectare.”

According to him, current price increase is a result of the high cost of farm inputs traceable the US-Iran war from where fertlisers are imported into the country.

However, he said his association was working hard to reduce these challenges as they were collaborating with seed companies and also fertiliser producing companies, so farmers could purchase farm inputs at affordable prices, including training on best agronomical practices.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TB Joshua: How I found my husband dead — Wife

Image
Evelyn, wife of late TB Joshua. •Wound of his passage 'll take time to heal — Brother EVELYN Joshua , wife of the late founder of  Synagogue Church Of All Nations, SCOAN, Prophet TB Joshua, has explained how her husband died during ministration without sign of ill-health. Mrs Joshua said her husband spent about three hours in prayers before the last service on the mountain and was looking very healthy, adding that he never showed any sign of illness  and that his main concern was about the prayer line they offered to Indians against the COVID-19 pandemic. She said: "Afterward, he came up to shower and I left him to have some time to prepare for service as worship had started. "A few minutes later, he stepped out for ministration. "While ministering, he spoke about a time to come and time to leave. "His statements were spiritual and suddenly, he left the stage and went to his inner chambers. I waited a few minutes and thereafter decided to check on him. "I m...
Read more

Oyo school kidnap: We can’t risk more lives in rescue efforts — Soun

THE Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, has said that security authorities are adopting a cautious approach in responding to the abduction of students and teachers from three schools in the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.  Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, he referenced the killing of one of the abducted teachers by the kidnappers amid attempts to track them down, saying that the tragic incident underscored the need for restraint and careful coordination among security agencies. Oba Olaoye, who explained that he was not in the country when the incident happened, said: “We see a lot of comments on social media; people should understand that these terrorists slaughtered one of the teachers on live video. “This is something we have not experienced before; it is what we saw with another group outside of the country. So, that tells us the people we are dealing with. For a teacher to be slaughtered like that, where you have child...
Read more

Man killed for sleeping with kingsman's wife

Image
A 60-year-old man, Ukaegbu Ogii, has been stabbed to death over an alleged sexual relationship with the wife of his kinsman, in Ndiolumbe community, Isiala Ngwa South council of Abia State. A community source said that the attacker , identified as Nkume, allegedly stabbed Ogii following an argument over an alleged sexual affair with Nkume's wife. Some eyewitnesses alleged that Nkume used a dagger to stab him in the neck. Ogii died before he could receive medical attention, while his attacker fled before the youths were alerted to the scene. It was also gathered that Nkume had at several times confronted Ogii, accusing him of having an affair with his wife,leaving him with an injury during one of the occasions. The Ndiolumbe community was said to have made efforts to resolve the issue,all to no avail. "Nkume has been accusing Ukaegbu Ogii of having a sexual relationship with his wife. The issue had been going on for a long time, as Nkume always fought Ogii wherever he saw him. ...
Read more