Hadejia (Jigawa) – Some farmers in Hadejia, Jigawa, have called on the state government to establish modern silos to minimize wastage of perishable produce.
The farmers made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Hadejia.
NAN reports that absence of modern preservation techniques for produce had exposed farmers to losses, especially during hot weather.
Perishables produce such as tomato, pepper, onions, green beans and vegetables could not be store in high temperature, a trend which affects production.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
Malam Gambo Isa, a tomato farmer, said that lack of silos was largely responsible for post-harvest losses to farmers in the area.
Isa noted that tomato and other perishable produce could not be preserved in high temperature, hence the need for specialized storage facilities.
He also called on the state government to establish tomato processing plants to reduce wastages and provide market for the item.
Another farmer, Salisu Usman, said that absence of modern storage facilities was forcing farmers to sell commodities at cheap prices to avoid losses.
“Tomato and other perishable produce cannot be preserved for a longer period and hence the need for specialized storage facilities.
“The trend is seriously discouraging and make perishable farming less attractive.
“We are now in cold season, which is good for perishable produce cultivation, but prices will continue to go down due to absence of storage facilities to preserve the produce,” he added.
Usman urged the government to adopt practical measures to ensure adequate training of farmers on modern processing and preservation technologies. (NAN)