Tomato farmers in Kano have raked in huge profits from harvest proceeds, and some have married more wives, bought houses, lands and motorcycles. This is after the farmers made huge losses running into billions of Naira as a result of the unexpected invasion of the insects popularly called tuta absoluta, which the Chairman, M.K. Kura Farms, Butalawa, Kura Local Government Area, Kano State, Mukhtar Kura, disclosed in a chat with Vanguard that tomato farmers have never seen a bumper harvest as this in Kano State based on the huge cultivation of tomato. Kura said “Yes, tomatoes farmers are happy because most of the farmers are sustaining themselves and their children from their dry season harvests. The youth amongst them are getting married, buying houses, lands and motorcycles, it is a joyful season for them and it made them put more efforts when the rainy season started. Abubakar, one of the residents of Kura/Garin Mallam area which is where my farm is located narrated to me that he has never seen a season where tomatoes were planted this much, especially the string frame method of tomato farming which they’re adopting. More harvests are on the way In Sha Allah.”
According to him, a big basket of tomato is sold at N16,000 compared to over N100, 000 about four months back. “Presently, a basket isn’t the main measuring medium for tomatoes. A certain type of crate is used, and each crate is ranging from N7,000 – N8,000, depending on the quality of tomatoes and the buyer. However, two full crates would fill a big basket, so a big basket would be N14,000-N16,000”, he said. However, he (Kura) counseled farmers on how to prevent attack on their crops by tuta absoluta (Tomato Ebola), fertiliser application, and best agronomic practices.
