Dangote Tomato Coy wants more support for tomato growers

The Dangote Tomato Processing Company has called on the Kano State Government to give tomato farmers in the state more support to boost production of the commodity.

The Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Abdulkarim Kaita, made the call at the YieldWise Nigeria Stakeholders Meeting in Kano on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that YieldWise project is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation in collaboration with PYXERA Global with the aim of reducing post-harvest losses.

Kaita said the call was also necessary in view of the fact that Kano State is the major tomato growing area among all the 12 states that grow the commodity in the country.

“In view of the state’s position, we want the state government to give more support to tomato growers in the areas of improved tomato seeds, pesticides and other inputs.

He noted that lack of enough fresh tomato to process had seriously affected the operations of the company even during the season.

“The sole aim of establishing the Dangote Tomato Processing Company is to assist farmers to reduce post-harvest losses and reduce importation of tomato paste into the country,”he said.

The managing director said as part of efforts to address the issue of nonavailability of fresh tomato, the company had concluded arrangements to enter into an agreement with farmers groups in the 12 tomato producing states.

He also said that the company had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rockefeller Foundation as part of renewed effort to boost tomato production in the state and the country.

He said the partnership had yielded positive result as the farmers had accepted to use plastic baskets to preserve the commodity.

In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Abdullahi
Ganduje on Mechanised farming, Alhaji Hamisu Sulaiman, said the state government would soon commence distribution of improved tomato seeds to farmers in the state.

NAN reports that the stakeholders meeting was also attended by Mr Rafael Flor, Director, YieldWise project, Rockefeller Foundation African Regional Office and Mr Larry Umunna, County Director, Technoserve.