Tomato Farmers Seek Preservation Facilities

Tomato farmers in Mubi,  and Adamawa, have called on the state government to establish modern preservation facilities for perishable agricultural produce to minimize wastages during harvest.

A cross-section of the farmers made the appeal while speaking with our correspondent recently

The farmers said they recorded huge losses due to the absence of modern preservation facilities, coupled with the poor market condition in the area.

They said that the produce most affected included tomato, pepper, onion, green beans and vegetables.

Malam Ahmadu Haruna, a tomato farmer, said that the lack of modern preservation technologies was largely responsible for post harvest losses.

Haruna underscored the fact that such perishable agricultural produce could not be preserved under high temperature, hence the need for specialised storage facilities.

He also called for the establishment of a tomato processing plant, to reduce wastages and provide market for such perishable produce.

Aminu Iliya, a dry season farmer, noted that the absence of modern preservation technologies forced farmers to sell their commodities at low prices to avoid losses.

“We are selling the produce at lower prices, as they could not be preserved beyond seven days.

“The trend is seriously discouraging and therefore making perishable farming less attractive,” Illiya said.

He urged the state government to adopt practical measures to ensure adequate distribution of fertiliser and training of farmers on modern preservation technology.

Our correspondent investigation  at the Mubi market also showed that prices of the commodities had dropped significantly in the past few weeks due to fresh supplies, while the price of onion remained high.