In recent time, a time like this in a year is always a period of the scarcity of tomatoes all over the country especially in the east. But the reverse has become the case this days In Enugu state as Nsukka people are heavily cultivating the product now.
The unprecedented revolution of the cultivation of the product by the Nsukka people has reduced the scarcity of it in Enugu and its environment.
At the Newmarket in Enugu metropolis, Adadareporters visited some of those who are into the business.
Mrs Mary Asogwa, from Edeobala Nsukka said that the condition of things in the country has made everybody to start developing interest in agriculture. Before North has monopoly of cultivation of Tomatoes especially Jo’s but Nsukka people are now onboard in the sector.
She said that “they didn’t know that our land is so fertile for that, Until we we started venturing in it
“Tomatoes are made up of different types: We have the one of presidio, Copra and others.
“They have the Original and fake one the original one is F1 this one has so many advantages, it does not select land, after plucking, it lasts up to one week before it will rotten and it is strong in nature it doesn’t brake too easily.
“Presidio is also strong one thing about it is that its more stressful in taking care of because the seed is always big there is need to fix pillars where it will be channeled despite that, if it fall down it will rotten.
“Tomatoes are cultivated in open space it does not like a place that is covered by trees.
Another woman Mrs Helen Ukwueze from the same Edeobala said that “the business is lucrative only that it is capital intensive. The good aspect of it is that it is a product that is being cultivated about five times a year, we start planting from March, the one of March and April is about to finish, the third one is what we are planting now.
“There is no way after cultivating in a year that you will not make profit. So many youths that are practicing it are now living a meaningful life. It is a business that I encourage youths to enter.
“Before now, tomatoes are usually scarce this time around when Jos finished selling their own but as you can see, quantum of it is here looking for who will buy. Is a good development.
A young man from Opi Joshua who did not disclose his initial name said that it would have been more encouraging if government are helping those who are farming it by giving loans and other mechanized equipment for its enhancement.
“Things are costly. One sachet of tomatoes seed we were buying N16,000 is now N30,000, A bag of fowl sheet is 10,000 including pig sheet because the product yields more with organic manure instead of inorganic manure. So the expenses are so much but anyhow you will still make it to an extent.
