After 58-yr hiatus, 640 crates of fresh tomatoes arrive Lagos by rail

The arrival of 640 crates of fresh tomatoes in Lagos from Kano by rail after a 58-year break marks the end of agony for marketers of the commodity and the beginning of a seamless delivery of tomatoes to the nation’s largest market for food items.  It is also a milestone in the country’s effort to create jobs and guarantee food security for the teeming population.

Disclosing the arrival of the consignment to greennet blogspot in an interview today, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, National Coordinator of Nigeria Agri-Business Group (NABG), said the goods train which was expected in Lagos on Tuesday, March 14, finally arrived on Wednesday evening after overcoming challenges, including derailment, along the way.



An excited Ijewere had earlier informed the audience at FirstBank’s maiden Agric Expo at Eko Hotel and Suites on Tuesday that the consignment of fresh tomatoes would arrive in Lagos by 10:00 pm the same day. He said: “the train left Kano at about 10:00 a.m. yesterday. As at 11:00 a.m. today, it has arrived Osun and by 10:00 p.m. this evening, it will be in Lagos. That is happening for the first time in 58 years.”

Emmanuel Ijewere, (2nd left) at the maiden First Bank Agric Expo
in Lagos recently
He explained that a significant portion of the tomatoes were being lost when transported by road. “The packaging with basket is the first impediment. When this is added to the bumpy road ride from the north of the country, about 50 percent of the commodity is destroyed before it gets to Lagos.

“Apart from the smooth train ride, the tomatoes are packed in plastic crates. The result is that the amount of tomatoes destroyed in transit is reduced to about five percent. Trains are cheaper, safer, better, and more reliable as means of haulage. We know that one train delivery will not make a difference in the market at this time but as the frequency of delivery increases, cost of transport will come down and consumers will begin to see the difference.”

Reminded that the resumption of cattle haulage by train with the delivery of 500 cows and rams from the North to Oko-Oba, Agege Lairage in Lagos last year has now been suspended, Ijewere who is also Director at the Lagos-based Naija Pride, said he expects a steady operation in the weeks and months ahead because the operation is being coordinated by a privately owned operator, Connect Rail.

Connect Rail Services Limited is a bulk freight and logistics service provider and the first technical partner on the Farm-to-Market scheme.

“We still have problems with the nation’s rail infrastructure. The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is still operating the narrow gauge which is very slow and unreliable. The cattle haulage train service was resuscitated after being suspended for 30 years but it had to be suspended again after three attempts because the infrastructure needs to be adjusted to enable the cattle to walk off the train.”



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