NIGERIA LOSES N1.3BN TO TOMATO E-BOLA IN THREE STATES.
The Federal Government says that Nigeria has lost over N1.3 billion to the outbreak of Tuta absoluta, also known as "Tomato Ebola," in three states: Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this at the on-going four-day capacity building workshop for financial institutions in Abuja organized by HortiNigeria in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc.
Kyari said the outbreak has led to a surge in tomato prices, exacerbating food inflation and straining household budgets, noting that the price of a 50-kilogram basket of tomato has increased from N5,000 to N10,000 and approximately N30,000.
The Minister stressed the need for integrated pest management strategies, investment in resilient crop varieties, and enhanced support for farmers to safeguard the country's food supply chains.
According to Kyari, horticulture holds immense promise for Nigeria's agricultural transformation, offering higher value per hectare and creating year-round employment.
He urged financial institutions to develop tailored products that align with the specific stages of the horticulture value chain, including seasonal credit lines, equipment leasing, invoice discounting, and trade financing, emphasizing that investing in horticulture is not just financing crops, but also financing livelihoods, nutrition, resilience, and inclusive growth.
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