The Chairman of Mile 12 International Market, Shehu Jibrin, has cited insufficient supply, insecurity, and crop infestations as the primary reasons behind the staggering over 500 percent increase in tomato and pepper prices across Nigeria.
In an interview with Channels Television, on Monday, Jibrin detailed how three pieces of tomatoes and peppers, previously sold for N100 and N50, are now priced at N1000 and N500, respectively, marking a 900 percent price hike.
Jibrin explained that the supply of tomatoes and peppers to Lagos from other states has significantly decreased due to ongoing insecurity and plant diseases. He stressed that unless the government addresses these issues, the high prices will persist.
“Except the government tackles insecurity, the problem of high prices of tomatoes and peppers will remain unsolved,” Jibrin stated. He noted that the current off-season should see supplies coming from regions such as Ilaro, Ogbomosho, Abeokuta, Osun, and parts of Cameroon. However, the expected supply from these areas has been delayed, and the produce from Cameroon alone cannot meet the high demand.
“We expect tomatoes from the North to be available at this time, but because of the tomato Ebola disease, we cannot have sufficient supply,” he added. He also highlighted the plight of northern farmers, many of whom are displaced and unable to farm due to insecurity.
“Let’s assume that we have 5000 farmers in the country, less than 1500 are farming with their eyes closed. Most farmers in the North are currently in internally displaced camps. If Nigeria cannot tackle insecurity, the prices of tomatoes, peppers, and other perishables will continue to go up. Farmers are not going to the farm due to insecurity. There is no solution except for farmers going to the farm,” he emphasised.
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, and the Tomatoes Growers Association of Nigeria both attributed the price surge to the scarcity caused by the infestation of tomato farms, known as tomato Ebola or tomato leaf miners.
According to the latest Consumer Price Index and Inflation report by the National Bureau of Statistics, food inflation in Nigeria has increased to 40.66 percent.
