A 35-year-old farmer from Bula community in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State, Saleh Maikudi, says he earns over N7 million annually from growing tomatoes and peppers.

Maikudi said he became a millionaire from growing tomatoes and peppers.

The farmer disclosed this in an interview with NAN in Bula community on Monday, August 26, 2024.

Maikudi, who disclosed that he spent over N1.5 million on 30 hectares of farmland which he cultivated in 2023, said investing in tomato and pepper farming yielded good returns.

He stated: “In 2023, I made N7 million from cultivating tomato and pepper.

“I only spent N1.5 million as the total cost of preparing and planting the vegetables.

“I cultivated tomato, bell pepper (Tatashe), Chili pepper, Cayenne pepper (Shombo) and Scotch bonnet (Hot pepper) on my farmland.”

Maikudi, who is also the chairman of Vegetables Farmers’ Association in the community, said he cultivated 30 hectares of the vegetables annually.

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He said it took 10 weeks after cultivating the vegetables to start harvesting the commodities for another period of 10 weeks.

The farmer noted that in the present wet season, farmers have started harvesting, adding that off-takers have been coming to their community to buy the commodities for supply to various states of the country.

He said the year’s rainfall, which he described as moderate, was good enough for his vegetables to grow, adding that his tomato and pepper did well.

“If the market is good this year, I am expecting nothing less than N10 million because my vegetables really did well,” Maikudi said.

Maikudi, however, enjoined the government to build a modern market in the community.

The farmer said the facility will help standardise the marketing of the vegetables and other agricultural produce as well as provide farmers with the platform to centralise the selling of the commodities.

“Also, the government can establish mini-processing factories to help farmers cut post-harvest losses, boost food security and provide more jobs for youths in the state,” he added.

The Star