The outbreak of Tuta Absoluta disease have sent the prices of tomatoes in the country up by 200 percent in Lagos State and other states.
Also, the price surge is owing to seasonality as the tomato crop does not do well during the rainy season, and prices are always expected to surge during the period, according to experts.
A big basket of fresh tomatoes in Mile 12 Market, Lagos sells between N100,000 and N120,000 depending on negotiation as against N40,000 and N50,000 sold in April and early May.
Sani Danladi, national chairman of the Association of Tomato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, said the high cost of tomato in the country is hinged on the invasion of the Tuta Absoluta pest on farmlands in major growing states.
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Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has blamed the recent scarcity and hike in prices of tomatoes in parts of Nigeria on “severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner”.
In a Monday post on his X platform (formerly known as Twitter), the minister disclosed that the Federal Government has taken action to combat the issue.
Hear him; “A significant number of our tomato farms have been affected by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner. This has drastically reduced the availability of tomatoes and contributed to rising costs.
“Our ministry is taking immediate action to combat this issue. We are deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to contain and eliminate the infestation.
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“Additionally, we are supporting our farmers with the necessary resources and guidance to recover their crops as quickly as possible, just as we instituted the Ginger Blight Control Taskforce.
“We understand the impact this has on your daily lives and are working tirelessly to resolve the situation and restore the supply of affordable tomatoes. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.”
It would be recalled that many households reportedly resorted to tomato pastes and other alternatives as the price of fresh tomatoes skyrockets.
