Federal Government Set to Ban Importation of Tomato Paste
The Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Audu Ogbeh on Monday in Kano, said the Federal government will place final ban on the importation of tomatoes paste before the end of 2019, ostensibly to encourage massive local production.
Ogbeh who was on fact finding tour alongside, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefiele to Dangote Tomato process plant at Kadawa in Garun-Mallam local government of Kano state, Monday, said that the Federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari will embark of tomato revolution across the country as part of its diversification policy in agriculture.
According to him, the sum of N250 billion has already been earmarked by the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Bank Agriculture to disburse as soft loans to tomato out growers as part of the apex bank’s Anchor-borrower scheme.
Ogbeh, lamented that the country has spent over $22 billion on the importation of tomato paste from China annually, added that the CBN intervention will not only empower local growers but strengthen the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
