Nigeria pushes plastic crates to reduce tomato waste
The IFDC says durable plastic crates can help save nearly half of Nigeria’s tomatoes lost to poor handling each year.
NIGERIA – The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) has begun a national campaign in Nigeria to promote the use of plastic crates for transporting and storing tomatoes.
The effort seeks to cut post-harvest losses and improve logistics across the country’s vegetable value chain.
Speaking during the Forty-Seventh National Council on Agriculture and Food Security (NCAFS) in Kaduna, IFDC Country Representative Mohammad Salasi said the campaign forms part of a wider plan to modernize agricultural transport systems and strengthen food security.
He said the organization, through its Dutch-funded agricultural development programs, has already submitted policy recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. These proposals encourage the inclusion of crops such as tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage in national agricultural planning.
“Imagine transporting tomatoes in raffia baskets from Kaduna to Lagos, over a thousand kilometers. By the time they arrive, barely half of the produce is still in good condition,” Salasi said.
He explained that replacing raffia baskets with plastic crates helps reduce damage and preserve freshness during long-distance transport. “Plastic crates are not just durable; they reduce losses, improve produce quality, and support a more sustainable value chain,” he added.
Financing better packaging solutions
According to IFDC, Nigeria loses up to 40 percent of its tomatoes after harvest, mostly due to poor packaging and rough handling during transit. To tackle this, the organization has been training farmers in improved post-harvest management and linking them with local manufacturers to access better storage materials.
Salasi said financial barriers had slowed the shift to plastic crates. Many agribusinesses lacked credit guarantees to invest in new packaging systems. However, that trend is beginning to change.
The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) recently increased its credit risk guarantee from 50 to 75 percent, creating room for more financing within the tomato value chain.
This adjustment enabled a US$327,000 special intervention program between NIRSAL and IFDC to supply more plastic crates to tomato farmers and traders across the country.
IFDC data shows that farmers who have received training through its projects are recording higher yields. Tomato output has grown from an average of 9–10 tons per hectare to 24 tons, and up to 40 tons per hectare on large commercial farms such as Tomato Jos.
Salasi emphasized that these gains demonstrate how better handling and logistics can directly increase income for farmers while ensuring more produce reaches consumers in good condition.
“Our goal is to help farmers move beyond wasteful systems and build stronger, more efficient value chains,” he said.
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