Tomato prices have surged sharply across Nigeria following worsening supply shortages in key northern producing states and rising transportation costs, according to the Tomatoes Growers and Processors Association of Nigeria (TOPAN).
The association said the ongoing scarcity has triggered one of the steepest price increases in recent months, with a 50kg basket of tomatoes now selling for as high as N125,000 in major markets, compared to between N35,000 and N40,000 only a month ago.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, the Kaduna State Chairman of TOPAN, Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, attributed the spike to the end of the harvest season across major tomato-producing areas in Northern Nigeria.
According to him, tomato production has largely ended in many northern states, leaving only limited harvests available from a few locations.
“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,” Zuntu said.
Industry data from the association indicates that prices at the source have risen dramatically within months. A 50kg basket that sold for between N7,500 and N10,000 in January now costs between N50,000 and N70,000 in parts of Northern Nigeria.
The situation has been compounded by escalating logistics expenses, especially the rising cost of transporting agricultural produce from northern farming hubs to southern markets such as Lagos.
Zuntu disclosed that transporting a trailer load of tomatoes from Northern Nigeria now costs approximately N2 million, compared to between N1.1 million and N1.3 million two months ago, largely due to higher fuel prices and broader transportation pressures.
“The increase in transportation cost has been transferred to consumers, thereby pushing up market prices,” he stated.
The sharp increase has significantly impacted retail markets and food businesses across Lagos and other southern cities, where consumers and vendors say tomato prices have nearly tripled in some locations.
At the popular Ile-Epo Market in Lagos, a crate of tomatoes now sells for between N45,000 and N50,000, up from around N15,000 a few weeks earlier.
A food vendor in the Shasha area of Lagos, Mrs. Ranti Adisa, said the shortage was already affecting operations for many small food businesses.
“Many of us could not get tomatoes at the market, as most traders had no stock,” she said, adding that some vendors may be forced to seek alternatives if the situation persists.
Residents are also feeling the pressure of rising food inflation and supply instability.
Mrs. Oluchi Ogunsanmi, a resident of FESTAC, described the situation as alarming after purchasing a small bucket of tomatoes for N7,000.
“It was barely sufficient. We may have to consider alternatives,” she said.
TOPAN noted that tomato prices are strongly influenced by seasonal demand and supply patterns and projected that the current scarcity could continue until fresh harvests begin around July.
The association, however, expressed optimism that increased supply from the next harvest cycle could help stabilize prices from August if transportation costs also moderate.
The latest surge in tomato prices adds further pressure to Nigeria’s food inflation crisis, as households continue to grapple with rising costs of staple food items, energy, and transportation nationwide.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
