Tomato Farmers Urge Federal Government to Address Post-Harvest Losses

Tomato Farmers Urge Federal Government to Address Post-Harvest Losses
The National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NATPAN) has raised concerns over the severe impact of post-harvest losses on tomato farmers and called for immediate intervention from the federal government.
Rabiu Zuntu, the chairman of NATPAN, made the appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
Zuntu emphasised the importance of federal support to help farmers minimise the losses they face annually. He highlighted that most tomato farmers in the country are smallholders who cannot afford the loans required to purchase equipment necessary to curb post-harvest losses.
“Providing farmers with essential equipment and facilities is critical to reducing post-harvest losses, which significantly threaten Nigeria’s food production,” Zuntu said.
He pointed out that the use of plastic crates for transporting tomatoes from farms to markets could make a substantial difference, particularly when moving the produce from northern Nigeria to other regions. “Plastic crates can significantly reduce losses during transportation,” he explained.
The NATPAN chairman also shared that the association has partnered with various organisations to introduce advanced mechanisation and support smallholder farmers in mitigating losses.
“As an association, we are collaborating with both existing and new processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and boost farmers’ incomes,” Zuntu noted.
He further explained that introducing tomato processing machines could help alleviate the glut that occurs between January and February annually. “Local tomato processors provide a clean and efficient method for drying tomatoes, adding value, and increasing the income of farmers while promoting sector growth,” he added.
Zuntu also mentioned that some government organisations have introduced solar dryers for tomato preservation. While farmers have shown interest in adopting this technology, the high cost remains a barrier for many.
To address this, NATPAN has started organising farmers into clusters to enable them to pool resources and collectively acquire solar dryers, ultimately reducing post-harvest losses.
Zuntu called on the federal government to extend its support to NATPAN’s initiatives to ensure their sustainability and help improve the livelihoods of tomato farmers across Nigeria.
0 comment