NTA ran a programme on this issue some weeks back, but we hardly paid attention. Hope the concerned authorities would do the needful.

The Dangote Farms Tomato Processing Factory announced that it has halted operations in its $20 million tomato paste facility due to a scarcity of tomatoes, barely two months after beginning operations. This announcement comes as a surprise to many that believed Dangote was the reason for the tomatoes shortage plaguing Nigeria. The tomato plant was anticipated to help reduce wastage of the fruit in the country and to also minimise the amount of imported tomato pastes in the Nigerian market. According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Agriculture, Nigeria produces about 1.5 million tons of tomatoes a year, but over 900,000 tons is lost to rot.

Nigerians have been severely affected by the scarcity of tomatoes, which is a key ingredient in most of the delicacies prepared in this part of the continent. The price of the fruit has increased by 400 percent; Nigerians now pay around 200 Naira for the same quantity of tomatoes which was sold at 50 Naira few months ago. But while there have been different rumours concerning the tomato scarcity, the real reason for the scarcity is a devastating pest attack which has affected this year’s harvest. A pest known as Tuta absoluta has reportedly affected tomato farms in Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Plateau states.



Tuta absoluta is also known by the common name tomato leafminer or the South American tomato moth and has been spreading rapidly across the world from South America, where it was first discovered. It has the ability to destroy a whole tomato farm within 48 hours and is also very difficult to control as it has a high mutation capacity with the ability to develop a resistance to insecticides. Around this time last year, farmers in some parts of Nigeria recorded losses as a result of this same pest attack but the consequences of this attack weren’t reflected in the price of the commodity because the demand for the crop wasn’t as high as it is now.

If the Nigerian government does not treat this as a matter of urgency it can take years to recover from the attack. It took Sudan about three years to recover from a similar attack in 2010. This plague could also dampen the export of fruits and vegetables.

Quick facts about the tomatoes industry in Nigeria

Nigeria is the 14th largest producer of tomatoes in the world.
It is the largest producer of tomatoes in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is the eighth largest importer of tomato paste in the world after Iraq and Japan.
The country has a significant demand for processed tomatoes but almost half of the tomato pastes found in its markets have been imported from China and Italy.
Last year, the Director General and CEO of the Raw Material and Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Hussaini Ibrahim, revealed that Nigeria spends about $1.5 billion annually on tomato product-importation from China and other parts of the world.
Erisco tomato paste known as Nagiko is the first tomato paste to be made in Nigeria.

http://venturesafrica.com/this-is-the-real-reason-why-you-are-paying-more-for-tomatoes-in-nigeria/

Sorry mod, I posted it here because some disgruntled members of the public have turned this to a political issue

we all know its because of APC tomato is scarce, no other explanation.

booked

Just as Nigeria is about to take its tomtoe paste production serious. The big lesson is that,'Dangote' and other new plants should have their farms.

Now that this is known, please OP, wetin be the reason why rice dey expensive?

And fuel too o?

We know, it's just that some will prefer to blame someone else.

Sleekydee:
we all know its because of APC tomato is scarce, no other explanation.

"Buhari and His Fulani Hench Men Has Used All the Tomatoes in Nigeria to feed Their Cattle, to the Extent that they Now Roam the Streets of Abuja Looking for Tomatoes to Eat"…..Lol
This is the Kind of Explanation Lai Lai Mohammed Would have given us in the time of GEJ.

I thought it was Dangote that bought all the tomatoes o.

I don't know why Nigerian govt love spending recklessly.

If dangote can set up tomatoe paste facilities with just 20million dollars, and FG spends 1.5 billion dollars on importation of same product. Then that minister and the entire staff of the ministry should be curse.


Spit

Na wa ooo

Problem : tomatoes. Adapt : ofe akwu

na tin tomatoes sure pass

That you last paragraph was absolutely unnecessary. ..
Some people here are just clowns so you may not have to take all they say to heart.. .

But everything happening in Nigeria today is in fact political..

When I bring my children from school I will tell you how.. For now; School run time..

So na Oyinbo Virus dey kill African plant


I thought we africans are immune to all diseases ?

Real talk , Do we have Ministry of Agriculture and what are they doing about it ?

Very informative piece
Unfortunately most Nigerians are too bigoted even when they know the truth.
Thanks once again.

Choi,NL no dey dull for some kain responses,hahahaha! I love these questions sha,lol! But these na question for the gods o,who shall answer these?

omowolewa:
Just as Nigeri is about to take its tomtoe production serious. The big lesson is that,'Dangote' and other new plants should have their farms.

Now that this is know, please OP, wetin be the reason why rice dey expensive?

And fuel too o?

Read this if you want to know how to manage the pest causing the tomato problem.

http://www.irac-online.org/documents/tuta-absoluta-irm-booklet/