NIGERIA – The price of tomatoes in Nigeria has skyrocketed by over 200 percent this year, driven primarily by seasonal factors and elevated transportation costs, according to experts.
Contrary to reports blaming the pest ‘Tuta Absoluta’ for the surge in tomato prices, Mira Mehta, known as Tomato Jos, attributes the sharp rise to seasonality and transportation challenges.
Mehta explained on X (formerly Twitter) that constant rainfall during Nigeria’s wet season reduces tomato availability, as the crop does not thrive in such conditions. Additionally, the cost of transporting tomatoes from the northern regions to other parts of the country is significantly high.
“In Nigeria, during the rainy season, it is hard to grow open-field tomatoes. Every year in June the prices go up,” Mehta said.
She also noted that poor road conditions slow down truck movements during the rainy season, increasing costs and causing damage to the tomatoes in transit due to high humidity.
Currently, it costs between N3.1 million (USD 1999.50) and N3.3 million (USD 2128.50) to transport 335 to 370 baskets of tomatoes on a 12- or 14-tyre truck to Lagos from northern Nigeria.
This high cost is partly due to poor road networks, as well as additional costs such as loading and unloading fees, and illegal extortion by police, customs, and immigration officers.
One X user, @borie_nla, highlighted these issues, stating, “Loading and unloading tomatoes cost about N250,000 (USD 161.25). The illegal extortion paid to police, customs, and immigration officers is more than N450,000 (USD 290.25).”
While seasonality and transport costs are major factors, the impact of ‘Tuta Absoluta’, also known as Tomato Ebola, cannot be ignored. Sani Danladi, secretary-general of the National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria, reported that tomato farmlands in Kano have suffered an 80 percent loss due to the pest.
This infestation has affected over 500 farmers across several states, including Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Gombe.
“More than 300 hectares have been destroyed by the outbreak that has affected more than 500 farmers in Kano State, and also affected farmers in Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Gombe states,” Danladi said.
He pointed out that the scarcity of tomatoes this year is more severe due to the combined effects of seasonal challenges and the pest outbreak.
As a result of the high prices and limited availability, consumers are turning to tomato pastes and other substitutes, which are relatively cheaper.
Nigeria ranks 13th in the global tomato market and is Africa’s largest producer after Egypt. However, the country struggles to meet local demand because about 50 percent of tomato produce is wasted due to inadequate storage facilities, poor handling practices, and the transportation network.
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