Why You Pay More for Tomatoes
Why You Pay More for Tomatoes
+Tomatoes: Why it's Out of Reach
Why You Pay More for Tomatoes
Nigeria has recorded the highest rise in the price of tomatoes in 2024 compared to previous years
The galloping price hikes make the staple food item increasingly unaffordable, exposing families and their children to the risks of malnutrition.
In the first 4 months of 2024, it increased from N845 per kilogram this January to N1,123 in April. This N278 increase indicates a 32% price increase within four months.
Tomatoes are a key vegetable crop, grown and consumed in significant quantities locally and globally.
Nigerian homes typically use tomatoes for stews and soups, and some consider them essential ingredients.
In the first four months of 2024, the prices of tomatoes increased compared with the same period three years ago.
Tomatoes: Why it's Out of Reach
Several factors could account for 2024's rise in tomato prices;
These include supply chain disruptions brought on by trade barriers, natural disasters, crop infestation, and geopolitical conflicts.
The Kano State Chairman of the Tomato Out Growers Association of Nigeria (TOGAN), Sani Danladi, revealed in an interview with Premium Times that the main cause of the recent spike in tomato prices in Nigeria is Tuta absoluta, one of the most damaging pests that affect tomato crops.
In addition to this, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, attributed the country's shortage and high costs of tomatoes to another serious crop infestation known as “Tomato Ebola” or “Tomato Leaf Miner.”
The Tuta absoluta epidemic initially appeared in Nigeria in 2016, when tomatoes were also scarce in Nigeria’s markets.
According to reports, the incident reduced tomato production in the nation by roughly 80%, which raised the price of the tomato on the market.
According to reports, the illness has now returned and is affecting tomato growth in regions where tomatoes are abundant, including Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano.
There is more.
Unfavourable weather conditions, such as droughts, floods, or exceptionally high or low temperatures, may also affect tomato crops, resulting in higher costs.
Among other factors, the rise in tomato prices in 2024 may also be due to the persistent rise in the price of goods and services, including transportation.
Tomatoes: Our Market Output
Nigeria is the second-largest producer of tomatoes in Africa and the 12th in the world, with over 200,000 smallholder farmers growing the crop, according to Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
"This adaptable crop has an annual market demand of about 2.3 million metric tonnes, accounting for 20% of Nigeria's daily vegetable consumption."
Thus, health threats to tomatoes pose a risk to food security in addition to being the most popular vegetable in the world.
Tomatoes: Your Market Options
With the sharp increase in tomato prices, it’s essential to explore cost-effective alternatives and solutions to maintain your culinary needs.
Trying out affordable options like dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and retail tomato pastes might save the bucks while providing comparable tomato flavour in dishes.
You can also opt for dishes that don't require much tomatoes in your recipes, or substitute with vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots, onions and pumpkin.
Subsistence farming is another solution. Try growing tomatoes in your home if you have a small amount of room.
Hope you enjoyed this edition of Pocket Science. It was written by Khadijat Kareem and edited by Oluseyi Olufemi.