EX-LAW MAKER URGES YOUTH TO CULTIVATE TOMATOES

EX-LAW MAKER URGES YOUTH TO CULTIVATE TOMATOES

Mr, Paul Ukpe, tomatoes farmer in Delta State has urged women and youths in the state to venture into tomatoes cultivation as a means of livelihood. Ukpe, former member of Delta State House of Assembly made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba.

He said youths in the state should cultivate tomatoes because the soil in the South East region should cultivate tomatoes because the soil is suitable for it and going a daily live business.

He also said that people should take advantage of the suitability of the soil to grow the crop and make money instead of looking for unavailable white collar jobs.

According to him 90% of the tomatoes consumed in the country were produce in the northern part of the country, the former lawmaker, however said that a greater percentage of the product was consumed in the southern and eastern part and an indication that there was enough market for tomatoes in the southern and eastern market.

He said, I see no reason why the crop would not do better in the southern and eastern part of the country where we have an abundance of water, our women and youth should embrace  agriculture especially tomatoes cultivation. Agriculture has the potentials of engaging most people in the society.

In March, April, May, June and July tomatoes were almost  imported from Ghana and other countries imagine where a seed or 4 of it will either be 200 or 400 naira, I wonder how one can beat this, so you see imagine you have up to 100 baskets of tomatoes from tomatoes cost ₦40,000 per basket, so these issue is to embrace tomatoes cultivation fully, for higher entrepreneurship development and employment opportunity.

                                                                             Iyamabore. E. James