The influx of fresh harvests has caused a significant decline in the price of a basket of tomatoes, as traders in Lagos’ Ketu and Berger markets observed.
According to TheCable, a trader at Ketu market reported that a large basket of tomatoes, previously selling for an average of ₦150,000, is now priced between ₦55,000 and ₦60,000. Similarly, a crate of tomatoes that cost ₦55,000 just a few months ago has dropped to ₦30,000.
In addition, the price of a large basket of habanero peppers (rodo) has decreased to ₦25,000, down from ₦55,000 during the peak of the price surge.
“It’s the season; Hausa tomatoes and peppers are already coming into the market,” the trader explained as the reason for the price decline.
Another trader at Ketu market mentioned that a small basket of tomatoes now costs between ₦20,000 and ₦25,000, compared to the previous price range of ₦30,000 to ₦34,000. She also noted that a small sack of pepper is currently selling for about ₦15,000 to ₦20,000, a significant reduction from the previous price of ₦50,000.
At Berger market, traders confirmed that the price of a large basket of tomatoes has fallen from the ₦150,000-₦200,000 range to about ₦50,000-₦60,000. They also reported that a crate of tomatoes now sells for ₦15,000, down from ₦35,000.
In the same market, the price of the largest sack of habanero peppers has dropped to ₦19,500, down from the previous range of ₦200,000 to ₦230,000. The price of a medium sack has also decreased significantly from ₦130,000 to ₦17,500.
A trader mentioned that a large bowl (locally known as “rubber”) of cayenne pepper (bawa) now costs between ₦8,000 and ₦9,000, a steep drop from the previous price of ₦28,000.
“The price drop is due to the season and the availability of petrol, which has made it easier to transport tomatoes,” the trader explained.
In Abuja’s Dutse market, a trader named Muhammed stated that a basket of tomatoes now sells for ₦8,000, down from the previous price of ₦13,000-₦15,000. He also noted that red bell pepper (tatashe) is now priced at ₦7,500, compared to the earlier price of ₦12,000, while the price of habanero pepper has dropped to ₦9,000 from ₦13,000-₦15,000. Cayenne pepper is now sold for ₦8,000, down from ₦12,000.
Like their counterparts in Lagos, traders in Abuja attributed the price drop to the seasonal availability of the produce. “Sometimes prices go up, and sometimes they come down. We sell based on how we buy,” Muhammed explained, adding that prices can change unexpectedly.
Another trader, Musa, mentioned that there is now sufficient supply in the market, unlike before when scarcity drove prices up.
Tomato Prices Expected to Stabilize Between August and November
Tomato prices have surged across Nigerian markets in recent months. On May 30, the Tomato Growers Association of Nigeria attributed the price hike to the destruction of tomato crops in northern farms by ‘Tuta absoluta.’
Tuta absoluta, also known as the tomato leaf miner, is a pest that attacks tomatoes and can cause up to 100 percent crop loss if not effectively controlled. Rabiu Zuntu, the association’s Kaduna state chairman, said the pest’s attack led to a shortage in supply.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the prices of tomatoes, garri, and other food items increased by 55 percent in June.
However, Sani Danladi, the national chairman of the Association of Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria, told TheCable that prices have started to drop with the new harvest.
“The current price for a big basket of tomatoes is somewhere around ₦25,000-₦30,000, down from about ₦80,000-₦90,000. Prices have reduced by 60 percent,” Danladi said.
He added that prices are expected to stabilize from now until the end of August and continue through October and November, making tomatoes more affordable.
