Agriculture
The Tomato and Orchard Producers Association of Nigeria (TOPAN) has urged the Federal Government to play a more active role in food production, storage and market stabilisation to curb rising tomato prices.
The National President of TOPAN, Mr Oyeleke Bolajo, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
Bolajo said government interventions, including the distribution of fertilisers and improved seeds, had supported farmers but more coordinated efforts were needed to meet the country’s growing food demand.
He attributed persistent supply challenges to inadequate agricultural data, saying poor planning and weak distribution of farming inputs had limited productivity.
According to him, Nigeria’s growing population and increasing number of farmers require a reliable agricultural database to guide production and policy decisions.
Bolajo urged the government to work more closely with the private sector in agricultural production and commodity management.
He also called on the government to purchase food commodities directly from farmers, store them and release them into the market during periods of low supply to stabilise prices.
According to him, such an arrangement would help cushion seasonal shortages, especially of tomatoes during the rainy season, while complementing private-sector efforts.
Bolajo also advocated stronger collaboration among government, private sector operators, farmers’ associations and cooperatives to improve food security.
Also speaking, TOPAN’s Director of Logistics, Mr Adefolarin Adebayo, called for increased grants and incentives for smallholder tomato farmers.
Adebayo said greater government support would boost production, improve supply and contribute to stabilising tomato prices nationwide. (NAN) www.nannews
Tags: Farmers seek stronger government role Tomatoes