Many residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed concern over the continued increase in the price of tomatoes.
The residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that the situation was making things difficult for both traders and residents.
A market survey conducted by NAN in some markets in the FCT showed a sharp rise in tomato prices in recent weeks.
A vegetable seller at the Suleija market, Malam Isah Ado, said they were facing challenges in their business due to the surge in tomato prices.
Ado said a big basket of tomatoes, which sold for between N85,000 and N90,000 a few weeks ago, currently sells for between N150,000 and N170,000.
He attributed the rise in price to seasonal scarcity, post-harvest loses and high cost of transportation from farms to markets.
A tomato seller at Garki New Market, Ms Philomena Bassey, lamented that the cost of transporting produce from the producing states to the markets had continued to increase.
“Customers think we are ripping them off and making a lot of profit from our sales, but that is not the case.
” We buy these tomatoes sometimes cheaply from the farms where they are produced, but by the time they get to Abuja, the price will have gone up.
“So, we have to factor in all of these factors, which makes the cost of the product increase,” she said.
A small-scale trader popularly known as Mummy Juli, who resides in Kubwa village, said tomatoes were very scarce in the market these days.
” The scarcity has made tomatoes very expensive to buy, thus forcing us to also adjust our prices.
“I used to share a basket of tomatoes with three other traders, but now I have to share with five colleagues because of the increased price in the market,” she said.
She told NAN that a small bucket of tomatoes she usually sells for between N4,000 and N4,500 now sells for between N8,000 and N10,000.
“Due to the hike in price, I can no longer sell a portion of tomatoes for less than N1,000 as against N100.
” This has led to reduced sales in my business because the majority of my customers are very low-income earners who buy in small quantities.
“As the situation is right now, there is nothing I can do; I have to keep managing and hope for the best,” she said.
Mrs Angella Ikenna, a mother of two, shopping at the Dutse Market, said the rising cost of tomatoes was taking a toll on her family’s feeding expenses.
“I used to buy the tomatoes I need for a week, but due to their price, I now buy only what I need for a day or two,” she said.
Similarly, Mr Moses Sunday, a nurse, lamented that the rising cost of tomatoes was compounding the country’s economic situation.
Mrs Badia Muhammad, a resident of Dei-Dei, said the rise in tomato prices was affecting many households.
“We use tomatoes almost in every meal, but due to the sharp rise, we can no longer afford to buy them as we used to and have to opt for cheaper alternatives.
“We appeal to the government to address the issues affecting the supply of tomatoes and implement measures that will enhance production.
