The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has presented improved tomato seeds to vegetable farmers in Sokoto State.
The council said it also made such presentation in eight states of Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Gombe, Taraba, Oyo and Benue.
Speaking at the occasion, Chairman Governing Board of RMRDC, Abdullahi Waziri Tambuwal, said the move was to address the demand and supply gap in the tomato industry.
He added that it was intending to harness the huge potentials of the staple crop in Nigeria.
“While the annual production of tomato in the country is rising and currently slightly over 1.8 million metric tonnes, national demand has increased to more than 2.4million metric tonnes per annum, leaving a huge deficit,” he stated.
He commended Governor Aminu Tambuwal for supporting the development of tomato value-chain in the state and the country.
In a remark, Sokoto State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, lauded the initiative and assured of more support and collaboration.
