Best way to reduce tomato post-harvest losses

Proximate processing of tomato will go a long way in reducing losses incurred by tomato farmers and processors after harvest, the Chief Executive Officer, Spectra Industries Ltd, Mr Duro Kuteyi, has said. Kuteyi believes this remains a reliable method to process tomatoes. He spoke during a training for Agro business experts, start-ups and people in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). According to him, with the method, farmers can reduce post-harvest losses to as low as five per cent.

He said over 50 per cent 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.” He called for division of labour across the agric value-chain to ensure maximum productivity in the sector.

SOURCE: DAILY TRUST