The Kano State Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association has called for urgent government intervention to establish tomato processing industries to sustain production and reduce post-harvest losses.
The association’s chairman, Sani Danladi-Yadakwari, made the appeal during an interview with journalists in Kano on Tuesday.
Danladi-Yadakwari also urged the government to make farm inputs more affordable for farmers.
He said the call had become necessary because the absence of tomato processing companies and reliable off-takers remained one of the biggest challenges facing farmers in the state.
“Many farmers are often forced to transport their produce outside Kano, and sometimes outside the country, in search of buyers.
“Our major challenge is market access. We do not have enough processing companies to absorb our produce locally, and this affects farmers seriously.
“That is why we are appealing to the government and private investors to support tomato processing industries so that farmers can have guaranteed markets,” he said.
According to him, rising production costs, especially for fertilizers, seeds, and irrigation inputs, have forced many farmers to reduce cultivation or switch to other crops.
He pointed out that fertilizer now costs about N55,000 per bag, making tomato farming increasingly difficult for smallholder farmers.
Danladi-Yadakwari added that transportation costs had worsened the situation, noting that moving tomatoes from Kano to Lagos could cost as much as N1 million per truck due to high fuel prices.
He said post-harvest losses remained a major concern. While losses previously reached about 30 per cent, they have now dropped to between 5 and 10 per cent due to lower production volumes.
The chairman added that farmers urgently needed access to subsidized inputs such as tractors, irrigation facilities, and credit to boost production.
Danladi-Yadakwari also urged the government to make agricultural support programmes more accessible and sustainable to strengthen local production.
