By Chinyere Anyanwu
Tomato farms in Kano State have again come under attack by the deadly tuta absoluta pest, raising concerns of impending tomato shortage.
The development according to the farmers would lead to a loss of no less than N20 billion.
The Kano State Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Abdullahi Maibreadi, who lamented the recurring infestation of tuta absoluta, said it had become a concern to many farmers for almost 12 years. He worried that the development was threatening the existence of their business.
According to Maibreadi, AFAN’s assessment reveals that 4,621 hectares of tomato farms valued at N1 billion are presently impacted by the disease. He stressed that without intervention within the next one to two weeks, Kano farmers could suffer losses ranging from N10 billion to N20 billion.
“This disease, tuta absoluta, otherwise called ‘Sharon’ in Hausa, has been recurring for the past 12 years despite farmers’ efforts to see that they overcome it. This disease has affected many farms. When the disease drops on the tomato leaf or fruit,it becomes burned, leading to massive waste and loss,” Maibreadi said.
Maibreadi highlighted the unfortunate timing of the disease outbreak, occurring after farmers had invested in their crops.
He urged both state and federal governments to intervene by providing farmers with certified seeds and standard insecticides to mitigate losses.
He further called for assistance to okro farmers affected by a similar outbreak in the previous season.
Maibreadi emphasised the need for government collaboration with international companies to acquire and distribute farm inputs to prevent such losses, which adversely impact the nation’s economy.
Tomatoes are cultivated in significant volumes in areas plagued by pests, including Bagwai, Shanono, Kura, Garin Malam, Bebeji, Bunkure, Rano, Kibiya and portions of Tudun Wada and Dawakin Kudu local government areas in the state.