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.”



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Agric forum to encourage greater technology use by women

Image
Organizers of a one-day agricultural forum for women in Benin, the Edo State capital, have said the event will focus on increasing the awareness of available agricultural and outreach technologies for women in agriculture. The forum which will be anchored by Market Development Programme in the Niger Delta (MADE) with funding from UK Aid, is collaborating with Markets II, funded by USAID and Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND and the Edo State Cooperative Farmers’ Agency is being held for womenas part of activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day. Mr. Fidelis Ekom, MADE’s Communications and Advocacy Manager, in a statement at the weekend said the forum also seeks to facilitate mindset change for women in the adoption of modern technologies and to facilitate engagement between women in agriculture and relevant value chain actors. Ekom said the forum will bring together women farmers in aquaculture, cassava, palm oil, poultry, hon
Read more

7 FEPSAN members to produce 1m tonnes under Presidential Fertiliser Initiative

Image
Seven active blending companies within the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) have been revived and are among the 1st of five batches that would produce 1 million tonnes of fertiliser under the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, Thomas Etuh, President of FEPSAN has said. Etuh who disclosed this while speaking on Presidential Fertiliser Initiative noted that most of the plants owned by FEPSAN members are being revived after being dormant for over a decade. He expressed the hope that more plants would join the initiative before the end of April “Some of the blending plants which have already been supplied with raw materials including phosphate from Morocco and are blending include Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd, Kaduna, producing 300,000 metric tonnes; Al-Yuma Fertilizer Company (300,000 metric tonnes) in Madobi-Kano; Kano Agricultural Supply Company, supplying 15 trailers daily and Golden Fertiliser based in Lagos. “Others blending plants ha
Read more

Over 100 exhibitors from 18 countries register for agrofood Nigeria 2017

Image
Fairtrade, the German trade fair specialist organisation, has said more than 100 exhibitors from 18 countries have confirmed their participation at the agrofood Nigeria, making it a record participation. The event which will take place from 28 to 30 March 2017 at the Landmark Centre in Lagos has attracted exhibitors from Austria, Benin, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. agrofood Nigeria consists of the following exhibition topics: Agriculture, Process & Packaging, Food Ingredients, Food & Drinks and Foodservice Equipment. “For the third year, the French agrofood association adepta leads a delegation of French companies to agrofood Nigeria”, said Aude Roelly, Area Sales Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, adepta. “From farm to fork, companies specialized into equipment and know-how for agriculture, livestock, food processing and packaging offer their
Read more