Tomato growers have expressed concern over the recent Tuta Absoluta virus infestation of the crops currently affecting the price of the produce in the various markets across the country.
They expressed their concerns in separate interviews on Sunday in Lagos.
Tuta Absoluta also known as Tomato Leaf miner is well known as a serious pest of tomato crops in Europe, Africa, western Asia and South and Central America, with larvae causing up to 100% loss if not effectively controlled.
Tuta Absoluta can ravage tomato cultivation in a little above 48 hours – prompting farmers to nickname it Tomato Ebola.
It can breed between 10 and 12 generations in a year with the female capable of laying about 250 to 300 eggs within its lifetime.
The Chairman, Tomato Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria, Mr Rabiu Zuntu, said the recent outbreak of the virus had affected the price of the produce in the local markets.
“The invasion of the Tuta Absoluta virus which began in early March has ravaged some farms up North.
“The virus does not affect the tomatoes much during the wet season except during the hot season. The temperature has been unusually high in recent times, and it causes humidity in soil.
“The virus has affected supplies to markets across the country, that is why you will notice some changes in the price of tomatoes. This is because some tomato farms have been completely destroyed by the virus despite being in the harvest season.
“Now, here in the North, in the market, a 50kg basket of tomato sells for about N30,000 due to the infestation.
“Before the outbreak, a basket of tomato was sold between N5,000 and N10,000, because this is actually the season for tomato harvests,” Zuntu said.
In preventing the spread of the virus, he also noted, “Humidity in the soil poses a more probable cause for the rapid spread of the flu in tomato farms infected.
“The outbreak of Tuta Absoluta virus cannot be prevented totally because no one can stop humidity from taking place. However, we can take some preventive measures to curtail its spread.
“Even when we plant climate-resistant or disease-resistant seeds, they are still susceptible to the Tuta Absoluta virus infestation.
“What we can do to curtail it from spreading is to apply the Integrated Pest Management approach,” he said.
On his part, the National President, Tomatoes and Orchard Processors Association of Nigeria (TOPAN), Mr Bola Oyeleke, said the outbreak had a minimal effect on tomatoes price because the crop is already in its harvest stage.
“Tomato harvest is currently ongoing around the country, so the impact of the Tuta Absoluta virus is not deadly as it was during the off season.
“We can still see tomatoes coming to the market daily but if the infestation is on, it is probably affecting crops newly planted.
“The Tuta Absoluta virus is one of the major problems plaguing tomato cultivation in Nigeria,” Oyeleke said.
He however noted that to prevent the outbreak of the virus continually, local farmers must work together.
“The only solution is that we have to start introducing more technology for land preparation for our farmers to forestall these frequent outbreaks.
“The land preparation for small scale farmers should be a general thing. If it is in a local government area, they should start land preparation together.
“Embarking on land preparation together will help reduce in preventing pests on their farms,” he said.
NAN
