NAN-AE-6
Tomato
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, March 17, 2017 (NAN) A Food Technologist, Mr Duro Kuteyi, says it is necessary to train people in tomato processing methods, so as to ensure the availability of the product in markets at all times.
Kuteyi, who said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, said that people should educated on how to make and package tomato paste, in particular.
He said that the manufacture of tomato paste would also aid efforts to reduce post-harvest losses, which most tomato farmers usually suffered during harvests.
Kuteyi , who is the Managing Director, Spectra Industries Nig. Ltd., said that it had become expedient to look into practical ways of preserving tomato after the Tuta Absoluta infestation of tomato farms in 2016.
“We have been training people on how to make tomato paste out of fresh tomatoes and package them; and it is quite easy.
“The technology is here and with good packaging, the packaged tomato paste can stay on the shelf for up to six months.
“The ingredient is just fresh tomatoes and the packaging does not need preservatives, artificial colour and flavour.
“We held a training workshop, which was sponsored by the Bank of Industry (BOI), for tomato farmers in Kano recently,’’ he said.
Kuteyi said that the list of those farmers who indicated interest in the training in tomato paste manufacture was being compiled.
He said that the training was open to people from all walks of life, especially small and medium scale entrepreneurs.
Kuteyi said that there was nothing wrong if tomato sellers in markets displayed the packaged tomato paste, along with the fresh ones, thereby offering their customers alternative choices of tomato to pick from. (NAN)
ACA/FLP/OOK
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye and Dayo Komolafe