The Oyo State Government is set to explore opportunities in greenhouse technology to boost tomato production.
The Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr Debo Akande, said this when a Dutch delegation visited Gov. Seyi Makinde in Ibadan on Friday.
The Dutch delegation was led by the Consular-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Nigeria, Mr Michel Deelen.
Briefing newsmen on the outcome of the visit, Akande said the governor had already given a marching order on the effort to boost tomato production.
He said the efforts would see about 50 greenhouses producing tomatoes in the state to complement what smallholder farmers are doing in the open fields.
Akande said the Netherlands delegation was ready to partner with Oyo state in the area of tomato production.
According to him, the state has achieved great success in the agriculture value chain.
Akande said the state had carved a niche for itself in the area of cassava production.
He added that the visit by the Netherlands delegation would offer the state the opportunity of exploring tomato production on a large scale.
Akande said the partnership with the Dutch government was going to help the state accelerate tomato production.
He said the state government would continue to provide an enabling environment and the right facility.
The Consular-General, Kingdom of The Netherlands, Deelen, said his team, which included about 15 Dutch companies was on a trade mission.
He said the team included seed companies and specialists in horticulture and greenhouse technology.
According to him, discussion on how they could work with the Oyo State Government to boost production of horticulture products was held.
NAN
