Ahead of its planned resumption of production by the end of this month, the Kano State Tomato Growers Association of Nigeria (TOGAN), has asked Dangote Tomato Factory in Kano to review its pricing ceiling for tomato per basket.
The state chapter chairman, Malam Sani Danladi Yadakwari, said the association was ever ready to supply the company, only if the pricing ceiling initially proposed by the company was reviewed.
He added that, in this tomato season, when open market decides the price of tomato per basket, the farmers would embrace the more favourable price and this may affect supply to the company.
“You see, presently, tomato is sold in the market at N4000 to N4500 per basket, and the offered price by the company is less than N2000. Therefore, ideally, most farmers will prefer taking their tomato to the market than to the company. However, I have heard news that the company has made commitment that it will purchase at market price even though that decision by the company wasn’t relayed to me officially. If it is true, then we will make sure that we supply the company with the needed tomato without much ado,” he assured.
Reacting, the Managing Director Dangote Tomato Company, Abdulkareem Kaita, stated that the company has concluded all the required preparations to resume production by the end of February. According to him, the management of the company will soon hold a meeting with the tomato farmers to discuss the issues, adding that the issue of pricing will not be a hindrance, assuring that all issues will be resolved.
It would be recalled that the company had suspended production last year due to the outbreak of Tuta Absoluta that ravaged tomato plantations in the state
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