6 Problems of Tomatoes Production in Nigeria

Tomatoes is one of the crops produced in Nigeria. It is a common food in the country. However, there are problems of tomatoes production in Nigeria.

The rate at which tomatoes is consumed in Nigeria has indeed, outweighs the rate of supply. Commercial tomatoes production businesses have  incurred losses, occasioned by post-harvest losses hence, this has resulted in more lost in farm income.

Nigeria has spent so much of funds on the importation of tomatoes paste into the country. Against this backdrop, some attempts have been made with a view to reduce tomatoes importation, evidences are why most large scale businesses have decided to set up tomatoes processing factories in the country.

Read Also: 8 Varieties and Types of Tomatoes Grown In Nigeria

Even at that, these large scale entrepreneurs are not able to produce tomatoes crops optimally, because of the shortage in the supply of raw material.

Commercial tomatoes production in country has some challenges,  but the business is quite promising. For example Aliko Dangote, who is the Nigeria’s richest man, as well as, in Africa has decided to begin the tomatoes production business in the country.

The other aspect of such attempt, is that of Mira Mehta, who also make believe that people indeed are believing in the Nigeria’s tomatoes market.

The truth remained that, when there is increase in investment in this particular sector, the likelihood is that, it will stimulate, as well as, generate activities that will help in addressing the current trend, whereby over forty five (45) percent of tomatoes production are lost as a result of poor post-harvest management.

Read Also: 8 Economic Importance of Tomatoes in Nigeria

What Are The Problems Of Tomatoes Production In Nigeria?

Below are some of the problems of tomatoes production in Nigeria hence, tomatoes production businesses in the country have enormous responsibilities to make sure that, they overcome these problems of tomatoes production in Nigeria.

1. High Cost Of Tomatoes Seedings And Low Nursery Supply

It is a known fact that tomatoes seedings are not planted directly in the field, they have to be raised first in the nurseries for a number of days before they can be transplanted.

Therefore, tomatoes production businesses faced a particular problems of not getting this cheap. For example, the nursery supplies, and greenhouse, and fertilizers, as well as tomatoes seeds are not cheap in the country.

Most of these tomatoes seeds are produced outside the country, and not in Nigeria. So, one of the problems tomatoes farmers have is the problems of not easily accessing them and buying them.

2. Transportation Problem

The issue of transportation is also a major problem to tomatoes production businesses in Nigeria. The tomatoes production businesses in the country are facing transportation challenges. It has become so difficult for these commercial tomatoes production businesses to transport their crops from the farm to the market.

For instance, most of the tomatoes crops produced are usually carried in baskets, and there is problem putting tomatoes in the baskets, since they can be packed in such a way that, the crops would be damaged.

That is, once these baskets are packed, where one is on top of the other, the crops that are inside the lower baskets would be crushed and damaged. Therefore this has become one of the problems faced by tomatoes production businesses in Nigeria.

Read Also: How Profitable is Tomatoes Farming in Nigeria

3. Marketing Problem

marketing of tomatoes crops by tomatoes production entrepreneurs is another challenge faced by commercial tomatoes production businesses in the country.

Take for example, a situation, where commercial tomatoes producers will, instead of reaching out to the available markets to sell their crops, they will rather hand them over to those middlemen.

And these middlemen, who bought these tomatoes from the producers do not actually take into consideration about tomatoes crops packaging system. So marketing of these tomatoes is another key problem.

4. Lack Of Provision Of A System By Federal Government To Check Crops’ Quality

There should be a reliable system put on ground by the federal government to help check tomatoes crops’ quality, as well as the prices of the produce.

Since there is no such system set up by the government to check products quality and their prices, this has posed a serious problem to tomatoes production entrepreneurs in the country.

This is a problem that the federal government need to address with a view to boost productivity of commercial tomatoes production in Nigeria.

5. Problem of Production Shortfall

Production shortfall has been identified as one of the problems faced in the area of commercial tomatoes production in the country.

Of recent however, there is a report coming from Jigawa State Investment Promotion Agency about the issue of shortfall in tomatoes production in the country.

Jigawa state is actually one of the highest yielding regions in tomatoes production. So report from that agency had it that, currently the  demand for fresh tomatoes in the country is about 3.5 million metric tons.

And what the local farmers are producing presently, is about 1.8 million metric tons. One can thus, so far see that over fifty (50) percent shortfall in production is what tomatoes producers needed to meet.

Read Also: 7 Steps to Start Tomatoes Processing in Nigeria

6. Problem Of Poor Post-Harvest Management

Another problem that has been identified as affecting tomatoes production in Nigeria negatively has been the problem of poor post-harvest management.

Record has it that over forty five (45%) percent of tomatoes crops locally produced are wasted as a result of poor post-harvest management.

This however has resulted in income loss for tomatoes producers. Like I said earlier, tomatoes production businesses have incurred losses as a result of the poor post harvest management.

For example, difficult marketing terrain, and baskets of tomatoes are conveyed to markets that are very far from where tomatoes are produced. So these crops are crushed and may not be good for food again, by the time they get to the market.

Read Also: Tomatoes Cultivation and Its Potential in Nigeria

Conclusion

The truth remained that, when there is increase in investment in this particular sector, the likelihood is that, it will stimulate, as well as, generate activities that will help in addressing the current trend, whereby over forty five (45) percent of tomatoes production are lost as a result of poor post-harvest management.

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