The National Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria is seeking the federal government’s intervention to reduce post-harvest losses.

During an interview on Tuesday in Lagos, NATPAN chairman in Kaduna, Rabiu Zuntu, noted that the government’s intervention would help the sector to cut down on post-harvest losses.

He disclosed that with the appropriate equipment and facilities, tomato farmers would reduce post-harvest losses of the produce. He said this would increase value addition and enhance the sector’s growth.

“Most farmers cannot afford loans for this equipment to aid reduction of post-harvest losses because they are smallholder farmers. The government can help tomato farmers reduce post-harvest losses by coming to their aid with interventions.

“One of the ways to reduce post-harvest losses in tomato cultivation is to increase the use of plastic crates in the transportation of the produce from the farm to the market, from the north to other parts of the country.

“With the use of plastic crates for the transportation of tomatoes from one part of Nigeria to the other, the rate of post-harvest losses will be reduced,” the chairman said.

According to him, the association is in various partnerships to help smallholder tomato farmers reduce costs via mechanised farming.

“As an association, we are in partnership with some existing and new processing facilities to cut down post-harvest losses and increase the income of our farmers.

“With these tomato processing machines, even the glut we usually witness between January and February every year will be considerably reduced,” he explained.

“The production of local tomato processors is one of the cleanest ways of drying tomatoes and adding value as well as increasing the farmers’ income and the growth of the sector.

“Hence, the urgent need for government intervention in the sector,” Mr Zuntu added.

(NAN)