The Federal Government yesterday said Nigeria spends N16 billion yearly on importing tomatoes.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, who puts the country’s domestic demand for tomatoes at 2.3 million tonnes, said the country only produces 1.8 million tonnes yearly.

Echono, who spoke at a workshop on “Development and application of post-harvest handling model for horticural Crops” in Abuja, added that 750, 000 tonnes of tomatoes is lost to post-harvest.

He said: “Horticultural crops, because of their delicate nature face tremendous post-harvest challenges. In Nigeria, specifically, tomatoes has the highest priorities with domestic demand of 2.3 million tonnes of fresh production annually, national production of 1.8 million tonnes, waste of over 750, 000 tonnes and an import bill of N16 billion to make up for shortfall in local production.

“Post-harvest losses have been estimated to range between five and 20 per cent for grains; 20 per cent for fish and as high as between 50 and 60 per cent for tubers, fruits and vegetables.”

Mr. Echono, who was represented by the Director, Agribusiness and Market Development, Engr. Jatto Ohiare, said N717 million is spent by the country in importing citrus.

Echono said the horticultural sector is faced with problem of processing and post-harvest handling, adding that 1.53 million tonnes of citrus production is lost yearly.

He added that government is working with private sector to tackle post-harvest challenges.

He said: “Citrus has national production of 3.48 million tonnes, contributing about 29.71 per cent of the world’s production and 81.93 per cent of Africa’s total output. However, 1.53 million tonnes of citrus production is lost annually as waste while an annual import of N717 million has been recorded.

“The government of Nigeria among other activities and in partnership with the private sector is tackling this through the establishment of the Staple Crop Processing Zones where horticultural crops processing plants are being built and associated clusters of producers identified and assisted with necessary inputs/infrastructures.

“The establishment of two export crop handling, preservation and conditioning centres.”

Source: http://monitor9ja.com/2015/08/nigeria-spends-n16b-yearly-importing-tomatoes/

YET LAND IS WASTING... JOBLESS GRADUATES AND YOUTHS ARE MOVING TO BIG CITIES AND LIVING UNDER BRIDGE WAITING FOR WHITE COLLAR JOB...



WHILE OUR LAND IS WASTING.. PICK A HOE, FARM, FARM, AND FARM... KANYI JIKOTA

Been making research about this for sometime now. Thank God the President just placed a ban on any Tomato related products. Why import when we can produce more than enough in Nigeria? BTW, in other countries when it rains, youth go out and plant but when it rains in Nigeria, the youth will be jumping about, tweeting, updating status, typing and shouting 'Weather for Two', 'Weather for Two' smh!!!

Choi Tomato?? Buhari do something about this ooo

Only tomatoes? Na lie joor....dem they corner the moni

lt is heart breaking seeing that we lose so much during post harvest while many Nigerians are hungry. This challenge is laced with opportunities for smart Nigerians who can identify them.

Enough of all these workshops/conferences held in conference halls of hotels rather the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should focus their effort in sensitizing Nigerians about the limitless opportunities in the Agricultural sector by producing Agri-business TV programmes and syndicating them to TV Stations across the country. With focus on cultivation/rearing, processing, packaging and marketing, it would inspire many start-ups and many idle hands would be engaged.

Every TV station in Kenya has one or two Agri-business TV programmes running, competing against each other to gain more viewership.

When Nigerians get to see their fellow country men and women earning good income from their Agri-business ventures many would be inspired and that would lead to increased food production and lessen the unemployment level.

kk

Aminu, Mohammed, oya leave your shop and shoe maker biz and go back to farm, thought you said ur matas were producing enough?

Its high time the youths go into farming and stop looking for a white collar Job, i think the Govt should give out lands to youths to farm, provide them with basic equipments then at the end of each year they can share the profit with the government 60% to 40%
You take 60% and the Govt take 40%

Just imagine
and one useless administration is busy importing cooking stoves with billions

Ok

that's not a cheery news.We are an agrarian economy, we should export rather than import

Odikwa serious.

Ordinary tomatoes?

I thought our agriculture sector had improved.

Maybe not enough. Chai!

Na wa o, *shocked*

E get weitin we no dey import, even sand self

SILVERMANIA again, am tired of giving comments

It'll get better somedays..

So we import tomatoes too?...... Wow...

#16b

And those things called tin tomatoes are ordinary floor and colour. Never tastes lyk tomatoes

Abasi mbok which of the tomatoes, is it fresh or tin

But we have enough and to spare in the north nah
I even witnessed it, haba

Investment opportunity things

Importing which tomatoes again?

Bullshiiitt!! Some mor4s are making their ass rich again

But we have tomatoes na! Why the importation?

That's serious... I thought we had this in excess in the north. Why are we importing when we are meant to be exporting?

We really need to start taking our agriculture seriously.