The Tomatoes Growers Association of Nigeria has said that the current hike in prices of the product is due to ‘Tuta absoluta’ insect infestations on local farms across the country.
The Kaduna State chairman of the association, Rabiu Zuntu, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.
‘Tuta absoluta,’ also known as Tomato Leaf Miner, is a species of moth in the Gelechiida pest family.
It is a serious pest that attacks tomatoes in Europe, Africa, western Asia, and South and Central America, with larvae causing up to 100 per cent loss if not effectively controlled.
Zuntu explained that the hike in the price of tomatoes was due to a shortage of supply caused by the destruction of many farms by the Tuta absoluta insect.
“This has made the demand for tomatoes higher than supply, hence the price hike.
“We presently have low yields on our farms. A lot of tomato farms have been destroyed by these insects due to the hot weather in the north.
“Tomato farms across Kaduna and Katsina (the highest producers of tomatoes) have been razed by these insects,” the chairman said.
Zuntu called on the government to help forestall the infestation by providing timely interventions to the farmers.
“The pests usually attack tomato farms around April/May and during the hot season. This is when the tomatoes are ready for harvest. High temperatures attract these insects.
“To address this infestation, we have received some interventions from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, but the intervention came late because most farmers have already lost their crops.
“If the interventions and chemicals came earlier, we would have been able to prevent the current situation,” he said.
