Tomato producers ask FG to intervene to stop post-harvest losses

The National Association of Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria (NATPAN) has urged the federal government to intervene to curb post-harvest losses in the tomato sector.

The Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of NATPAN, Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, made this call during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

Zuntu emphasized that government intervention is crucial to reduce post-harvest losses in the tomato sector.

He explained that providing farmers with the right equipment and facilities would significantly minimize these losses. This, in turn, would enhance value addition and promote growth in the sector.

“Most farmers are smallholders and cannot afford loans to purchase the equipment needed to reduce post-harvest losses,” Zuntu said.

Plastic boxes: a solution to reduce losses

He highlighted that an effective solution is to increase the use of plastic boxes to transport tomatoes.

“One way to reduce post-harvest losses in tomato cultivation is to use plastic boxes to transport the product from the farm to the market, especially when moving tomatoes from the north to other parts of the country,” he said.

“With plastic crates, the rate of post-harvest losses during transportation across Nigeria will be significantly reduced,” the president added.

Associations to support farmers

Zuntu shared that the association has established several partnerships to help small tomato farmers reduce their losses through mechanization.

“As a partnership, we are working with new and existing processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and increase income for our farmers,” he said.

He explained that with the introduction of tomato processing machines, even the glut normally seen between January and February each year would be reduced considerably.

“Using local tomato processors is one of the cleanest methods to dry tomatoes, adding value and boosting both farmers’ income and sector growth,” Zuntu added.

Solar dryers for conservation

Zuntu also mentioned that some non-governmental organizations have introduced solar dryers for tomato conservation.

“Farmers have shown interest in solar dryers and we are willing to adopt this method. However, despite their potential benefits, the high cost of dryers means that some farmers cannot afford them.”

• To address this challenge, Zuntu said the association is organizing farmers into groups to help them pool resources and purchase solar dryers, ultimately reducing post-harvest losses.
• He highlighted the urgent need for government intervention to continue supporting these initiatives and ensure the sustainability of the sector.