Alhaji Akin Gbadamosi, the Secretary-General of Federation of Agricultural Commodity of Nigeria (FACAN), is the umbrella body of all agricultural commodities in Nigeria established by the Federal Government and supervised by the Ministry of Trade and Investment. In this interview with JOHN OBA, he calls for the establishment of a special bank that would major in lending to farmers.
You just a meeting with stakeholders, how was it?
We saw a lot of challenges in tomato industries. One of such is that, there is no national association to represent the sector. That was why we called a stakeholders meeting to highlight the challenges, prospect and the way forward in the industry. All stakeholders, that is the farmers, processors, and marketers were all present and we had a good day because both ministries were also well represented. We believe once they have association representing them, any challenges that come their ways, they would be able to confront it together.
That was why we brought them together as one association, not like it was before, when they were on their own.
Like the Savana Integrated Farm limited which is processing about 66 tons per day and has about 2000 hectares of land for its growers, they have challenges of getting enough tomatoes for processing and putting tomato into small bottle, they then decided to enter into importation of tetra pack which they can use.
That would enable the tomatoes be preserved. But because of the cost in Nigeria, they had to go for importation. Because it cost more to produce in Nigeria than to import. You can image a company like Ughelli Beta glass requesting for a 100% down payment before producing for you and it will take about six month. It is better to import from abroad and it will be shipped in immediately and within three weeks, the product has arrived Nigeria.
Also the farmers are complaining that the rate Dangote is buying their products is too cheap.
He buys at N20 per kilo of tomato which is not up to the cost of farming while a company like Cijain tomato industry have a seed of tomato that can give 60 to 80 tons of tomatoes per hectare. One of our farmers who tested it said he got 45 tons per hectare while the highest we can produce now in Nigeria is less than 20 tons per hectare.
There is another called Green House that is Disenguf, is being brought in to also help because if they are on board, their products, after harvesting can last two weeks without refrigerator and we have about three or four pieces for one kilo.
Is that not a GMO product, and would it not affect Nigeria’s agricultural production negatively?
No, it is not a GMO crop that is part of the mistakes we are talking about, when we are talking about GMO. These are seeds that are certified and all the agro-chemicals we are using are also certified, they are European Union approved, and I am one of those that formulate the active ingredients in them in Malaysia 2010 and 2011.
Some African countries are using these. Countries like South African, and Kenya uses this seeds. South Africa produces about 88 tons of tomatoes per hectare, even their pigs eats tomatoes. Why would European not patronize them? Not like Nigeria, where we done have enough. Out of about 2.2 million tons of tomatoes that we need, we still have about 70 to 80 percent short falls. We don’t have enough tomatoes for the processors, talk more the consumers. All the ones we are using are brought from China. China uses improved seeds, which are good. Not some that is brought from other countries that are not certified. But the improved GMO seeds are good.
So how is this situation affecting Nigeria’s agri-business?
If all our tomato industries that folded up can have enough to start operations, we will have enough paste in Nigeria. Some billions of dollars were spend for importation, if such money is spent in production and processing of tomatoes in Nigeria, it will go a long way to improve the economy. And if companies like the Savanah integrated company can be processing since they have all the necessary equipment that are automatic. Though the one in Gombe state stopped because of the security challenges, that is why some farmer are leaving their farms but now with this new development, it is getting a face lift now.
With today’s meeting are there possible steps to address the challenges?
Yes, steps are being taken to resolve. The ministries are now working so that those challenges with the Custom are resolved. Custom will know that agric input should be given special consideration. Like the importation of Tetra packs meant for packing food items which are produced in Nigeria. The ones produced in Nigeria are too costly.
So what were the major outcomes of your parley?
The outcome of today’s meeting is that all the stakeholders in the tomato industry should come under one umbrella. As much as they can all be under one association, then they can all harness their potentials and solve their problems. The farmers will say their problems, likewise the marketers, and the producers and they would all sit at a round table and solve the problems together. They would also determine the price. Like the complaint from Kano of Dangote buying tomato for N20, whereas the man in Gombe is buying higher than that. They would now look inward, if they were to be given incentives.
Recently, EU ban the importation of some farm produce from Nigeria into Europe…?
…(cuts in) they only suspended exportation of beans into EU because of the high residue of preservatives. That is, they met a preservative chemical in an envelope inside the container, not that they had already tested the beans whether it contains any chemical because many of the chemicals can disintegrate within one or two days once the produce is opened, in another one week, you will not see any trace of the chemical in the product and that was what the EU recommended. They only suspend our beans, we meet the EU in their office, we have a synergy between us and the EU office in Nigeria. Anything they want to do, UNIDO which is their agency will carry us along.
So you mean all the efforts of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in last administration have no impact on your members?
It has little or no impact. How would you imagine a man that has two hectares of land planted being given two bags of fertilizer, and some of the state ATA create a lot of problems, as soon as they sent those thing, you see them selling it in an open market
. The actual farmers may not be aware that they brought anything; before you know it they will take it to the market and sell it.
So what is the way forward?
We are already discussing with the ministry officials and the permanent secretaries of both ministries and as soon as the ministers come on board, we will sit with them and make our position known. For instance, all the new agro-chemicals in the market now are too costly for farmers to buy. You can imagine some farmers are still buying gamaline 20, that has been declared obsolete for over 20 years now, is still in the market in Nigeria and sold in cheaper rate. That is why we want to sit down with them to set approved insecticides for the country, so we will not have problems in the future. We will sit with NAFDAC and SON to see what to do on that. Whichever one is to be approved will have to be tested first to see that it does not contain any residues.
