Some tomato sellers in Enugu have attributed the current drop in the price of the commodity to seasonal factors, as markets witness a glut of the commodity.
This is according to a news report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). In line with the investigative information gathered across some of the major markets in Enugu, the report revealed that a big basket of tomatoes now sells for N11,500 as against the previous price of N16, 000.
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What we know about the price decrease
The significant drop witnessed in the price of the round-shaped farm produce can be attributed to the increase in supply, driven by the harvest recorded in the farms.
This is logical as historical knowledge suggests that the price of tomatoes drop during the harmattan season, as the harmattan weather is favourable to the harvest of tomatoes.
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Hence, during the harvest season of the commodity, the markets witness a sharp increase in the supply of tomatoes, and this helped in driving the price of tomatoes significantly down.
What they are saying
A statement by one of the traders who spoke with NAN on the fall in the price of the commodity revealed that the price of tomatoes usually dropped during its harvest season.
The trader who gave her name as Miss Oge Madu, a tomato seller, at Garki Market, explained that the sudden reduction in the price of tomatoes was due to the cultivation of tomatoes in Enugu (Nsukka).
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She said, “The Nsukka tomatoes are also flooding the markets and this has made the commodity to reduce in price. During rainy season tomatoes are scarce, the prices are high, but in dry season, they are surplus and the prices usually drop.”
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Another who gave his name as Mr Rufus Ozor, supported her claims, and reiterated that the prices of tomatoes had significantly dropped in Enugu markets.
- “A small basket of UTC tomatoes that comes from Jos now goes for between N7,000 and N8, 500 as against N13,000 in October. A month ago, UTC tomatoes were scarce and expensive, but now it has flooded the markets making it affordable by everyone.”
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What you should know
- Recall that about this time a year ago, Nairametrics reported that a big basket of round shaped tomatoes sold for an average of N5,000 compared to N8,000 recorded in December 2019, which represents a 37.5% decrease.
- It is important to note that this report, in line with the recent development confirms the seasonal decrease in the price of tomatoes.
- However, a comparative view after reflecting on the price reported by Nairametrics last year, suggests that the price of a big basket of tomatoes as revealed by NAN, is 130% higher than the price the commodity sold for about this period last year.
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