The Tomatoes Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (TOPAN) has linked the ongoing surge in tomato prices to a significant supply shortage and escalating transportation costs.
In an interview with our correspondence on Tuesday, Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, the Kaduna State Chairman of TOPAN, explained that the price increase was largely driven by the end of the harvest season in major tomato-producing areas in the northern part of Nigeria.
Zuntu stated that production had significantly declined, with only limited harvests available in a few areas. “There is scarcity of tomatoes at the moment. Production has ended in most parts of the North, and we now rely on minimal harvests from a few areas,” he said.
According to him, the price of a 50kg basket of tomatoes, which was priced between N35,000 and N40,000 last month, has now surged to between N115,000 and N125,000. He also noted that prices at the source in the North had risen dramatically, with the same quantity now selling for N50,000 to N70,000, up from N7,500 to N10,000 in January.
Zuntu attributed the significant price disparities between Lagos and other southern states to rising logistics costs. “Transporting a trailer load of tomatoes from the North now costs about N2 million due to higher fuel prices, compared to between N1.1 million and N1.3 million two months ago. The increase in transportation costs has been transferred to consumers, pushing up market prices,” he explained.
He further noted that tomato prices are governed by the law of supply and demand, and the current shortage will likely persist until the next harvest cycle. Zuntu projected that fresh harvests expected from July could help stabilize supply, with prices likely declining from August.
Meanwhile, consumers and food vendors have voiced concerns about the rising cost and scarcity of tomatoes. Mrs. Ranti Adisa, a food vendor in the Shasha area of Lagos, said traders were struggling to access the produce. “Many of us could not get tomatoes at the market, as most traders had no stock. A crate sold for between N45,000 and N50,000 at Ile-Epo market, compared to N15,000 a few weeks ago,” she said.
Adisa warned that the situation might force vendors to seek alternatives to tomatoes. Similarly, Mrs. Oluchi Ogunsanmi, a resident of FESTAC, described the situation as concerning. “I bought a small bucket of tomatoes for N7,000, and it was barely sufficient. We may have to consider alternatives,” she said, attributing the price hike to the ongoing scarcity.
