Nigeria grows some 1.5 million tonnes of tomatoes every year, making it the 14th biggest producer in the world. But less than three months after its richest man Aliko Dangote’s tomato processing factory came on stream, it has suspended production.
Managing Director of the Dangote Tomato Processing Factory in Kadawa, Kano State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaita told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the factory had to stop production due to lack of fresh tomatoes to process into paste. The scarcity of the fruit has also led to price increase of about 125 percent. Many Nigerians have again been quick to point accusing fingers as regards the Tomato Scarcity to various reasons.
The tomato processing company was intended to fill a huge gap in the agricultural sector where about 750,000 tonnes of tomatoes are said to be wasted following harvest. However, this year’s harvest has been hit by a devastating tomato pest Tuta absoluta. Kaita said most of the tomato farms in Kano, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Kaduna states were affected.
Tuta Absoluta is a species of moth known by the common names tomato leaf miner and South American tomato moth. It has been spreading rapidly across the world from its native South America in recent years. Last year, farmers in some parts of Nigeria recorded total losses as the pest infested their farms. However, with demand for tomatoes not as high as it has become due to industrialization, the effect was not immediately felt. The pest has struck again this year and it may strike again next season.
Kaita had said the tomato processing factory would resume production during the next irrigation season but with Tuta Absoluta continuing its spread, farmers may find it hard to get enough to sell.
The larvae of Tuta absoluta mine the leaves producing large galleries and burrow into the fruit, causing a substantial loss of tomato production. Damage can reach up to 100 percent and occurs throughout the entire growing cycle of tomatoes. To worsen things, the pest has a very high reproduction capability; an adult female could lay hundreds of eggs during her life time. There are also up to 10-12 generations in a year, in favourable conditions. Also, tomato plants can be attacked from seedlings to mature plants.
With its high resistance to several chemicals, Tuta absoluta is very difficult to control. The best bet, according to researchers, is the use of pheromone traps. Other biological controls have also been suggested as possible ways of fighting off the pest.
For Dangote, to ensure the tomato processing factory which cost about $20 million keeps working, the company may need to support farmers in the fight against the pest.
The Dangote tomato processing factory can process 120 tonnes of fresh tomatoes per day at full capacity, saving Nigeria some precious foreign exchange.
We would also hope that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other Agricultural Bodies assist in proferring a lasting solution to this devastating Pest.
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Sunday, 15 May 2016
Friday, 13 May 2016
PMS Price Hike: NLC To Begin Nationwide Strike Wednesday
Barring any last minute alteration, organised labour and its civil society allies have resolved to shut down Nigeria from Wednesday, May 18, over the hike in the pump price of petrol announced by the federal government last Wednesday.
Recall the Federal Government on Wednesday announced a new regime of price that took the pump price of petrol to N145 per liter from N86.50.
Vanguard gathered that labour leaders will not later than Sunday send a letter to government demanding a total reversal to the N86.50 pump price of petrol before 12 am on Wednesday, falling which all economic and others would be shut from Wednesday.
Recall the Federal Government on Wednesday announced a new regime of price that took the pump price of petrol to N145 per liter from N86.50.
Vanguard gathered that labour leaders will not later than Sunday send a letter to government demanding a total reversal to the N86.50 pump price of petrol before 12 am on Wednesday, falling which all economic and others would be shut from Wednesday.
OAU 2016/2017 Admission Discussion Thread
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Thursday, 12 May 2016
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N145 Petrol Price: We’ll Occupy Nigeria Next Week – NANS
The National President of NANs, Comrade Tijani Shehu, stated this in Abuja, at a protest rally where the association called for the removal of the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu. He said NANS is already mobilizing Nigerians students to resist the new N145 per litre pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise called petrol.
FUEL5 According to him, “A directive has been issued to all tertiary institutions to shut down all campuses on Tuesday and Wednesday, next week. After that, they will all converge on Abuja for a mass protest.
”On behalf of NANS and the whole 40.1 million Nigeria students, we condemn the new fuel price and by Tuesday or Wednesday, the whole Nigeria student would occupy Nigeria. So the Federal Government should look into this before NANS mobilize the entire Nigeria students to occupy Nigeria”.
All Federal Universities To Pay The Same Fees - FG
Adamu, made this known while fielding questions on the News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said, “Since the protests started, we have summoned the authorities of the universities and sat down with them and we are going to harmonise everything.
“Because, I think it is N45,000 that is the maximum that should be charged. I know in some places, there has been other arrangement.
“But the ministry would harmonise everything and I believe there will be no more protests over fees.”
The Universities of Lagos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt were recently shut down following students’ protests over increase in fees, lack of water and power supply on the campuses.
Adamu said that the Federal Government was discussing with management of the affected universities, adding that efforts were also ongoing to introduce harmonised fees for all federal universities.
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If you haven’t used the website before, you’ll be curious about what Jiji is. Everything is simple: it is the best shopping spot in Nigeria. Jiji is a classifieds website, which remains something in between ordinary newspaper classifieds and usual market. The only difference is that now it all functions in the web space. Thanks to this, Jiji and all its ads are available all over the country. What is more, ads are posted only by real people, who can do it for free. This leads to another improvement: sellers don’t have to pay for a counter as on the market or for every printed line as in a newspaper. No wonder that the website is getting more and more popular.
One more thing that is probably going to pleasantly surprise you is that Jiji doesn’t sell anything personally. This website collects ad and offers from real people from all over the country and helps them to sell by creating proper conditions. It means users interests are our priority, not personal profit. That’s the reason you should think about whether Jiji is a shopping spot worth visiting or not. This is a service, which will help you to become a musician you want to be (or at least support you).
