PROXIMATE PROCESSING CAN REDUCE TOMATO POST-HARVEST LOSSES, SAYS KUTEYI
Proximate
processing of tomato has been identified as a reliable method of reducing
losses incurred by tomato farmers and processors after harvest.
The Chief Executive Officer, Spectra Industries Ltd, Mr. Duro Kuteyi, who
disclosed this in Lagos, during training for Agro business experts, start-ups
and people in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), said with the
method, farmers can reduce post-harvest losses to as low as five per
cent.
He said over 50 percent of tomatoes are wasted at the farm gates, due to
inability of farmers to preserve them after harvest.
Kuteyi said: “We train farmers and processors on the proximate processing
method. The method starts at the farm gates with washing of the tomato,
milling, processing and packaging. With that method, you won’t lose up to five
per cent of the tomatoes.
“That is why we train people on how to process tomato, to buy fresh tomatoes
when it is cheaper like N2, 000 per basket and to keep it till the price is
N45, 000 upward to make profit.”
The CEO also called for division of labour across the agriculture value-chain
for maximum productivity in the sector.
“In everything, there is division of labour, to avoid unnecessary stress. But
when some will be in farming, processing and tertiary processing business at
the same time, this brings stress. When you look at the agriculture value
chain, unless you are big to combine these together, it is a stress. There must
be division of labour.”
