The six states, according to him, are Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Plateau and some southern states, such as Lagos, Ogun and Osun which had minimal production.
He added that the pest was yet to make an inroad into the Middle East while briefing journalists in Abuja, yesterday.
The minister added that “the pest also known as ‘tomatoes ebola’ is a moth that compromises the stems and roots of tomatoes and destroys them within 48 hours.
“The ministry is currently working with Nigerian representatives of Ruselle Group, United Kingdom, Agronet, who are experts in the Tuta Absoluta containment programme in the country, to present containment packs to farmers in the shortest possible time to enable them to resume production.”
He recalled that the federal government became aware of the pest late 2015 and quickly directed a mandate agency on tomato research and development, the National Horticulture Research Institute, Ibadan, to work on move in to action and proffer solution to the menace.
He added that after the Survey , recommendations made to the FG led to the inclusion of tuta absoluta containment programme in the National budget in 2016, adding that the FG also sought collaboration with the FAO to come up with containment solution which is on-going in Nigeria Speaking on the history of the Pest Chief Ogbeh said, the pest is known world over as it originated from south America in 1912 and has ravaged tomato farms in so many countries of the world till date. He added that while the pest had infested Kenya Tanzania and Niger in in 2014,it entered Nigeria in 2015 through Niger as predicted at a meeting held in Ethiopia (2013).
Chief Ogbe said while experts are expected to begin work immediately, the pest could not be treated with pesticides, adding that the treatment was going to be expensive as budget allocation to the sector had been cut down.
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