Muslims gearing up for the Eid El-Kabir celebrations will need to reconsider their choice of delicacy as the price of fresh tomatoes in markets across Lagos has risen by over 100% in the month of May alone.
Traders have attributed the spike to regular seasonal fluctuations in the quantity of tomatoes produced. They say the harvest period for the current species of tomatoes being sold is almost over with the coming of the wet season across the country.
Umar Tanko, a tomato seller at the popular Mile 12 Market in Lagos, told Nairametrics that a basket of premium quality fresh tomatoes, which sold for between N50,000 and N80,000 in April, now sells for between N140,000 and N150,000.
On the other hand, lower-quality tomatoes, damaged during the journey from the North to the South, currently sell for around N60,000 to N100,000, depending on the severity of the damage. Last month, a basket of similar quality went for N30,000.
While tomatoes usually take the spotlight, fresh pepper, another important ingredient in the popular Jollof rice delicacy, has also seen a nearly 100% increase over the past month.
According to Umar, “This custard bucket of pepper sold for N3,000 or N4,000 last month, now it sells for N8,000.”
Additionally, Shefiu, a tomato seller at the Flour Food Market in Ikorodu, Lagos, said the cause of the spike in tomato prices can be attributed to the reduced supply following the outset of the rainy season.
According to him, the rains have started in the North, signalling the end of the current species of tomatoes being consumed. He also noted that the importation of tomatoes from Cameroon and Ghana could help support the supply deficiency.
On prices, Shefiu said, “We sold the custard bucket of tomatoes last month for N4,000 and N5,000. But now, I sell it for N10,000. Mine is cheap because I have someone supplying me directly from Kano. I don’t buy from Mile 12.”
Price of tomatoes in other Nigerian cities
Furthermore, checks by Nairametrics on the prices of tomatoes across Lagos, Edo, Abuja, and Delta in the month of May showed a similar pattern of increase.
Residents in Effurun and Warri in Delta State complained that the least amount of tomatoes anyone can buy is N500, and a basket of fresh quality tomatoes sells for about N120,000 to N140,000.
In Onitsha, Anambra State, the price of a basket of tomatoes ranges from N110,000 to N140,000.
More woes for Nigerians
The spike in the prices of fresh tomatoes adds to the inflation crisis currently being witnessed by Nigerians. In April, year-on-year inflation rose for the 16th consecutive month, dating back to December 2022 when inflation last declined.
Food inflation, however, showed tepid growth in April, reaching 40.53%.
According to the NBS Food Price Watch in April, the price of 1kg of tomatoes has risen year-on-year by 131.58% between April 2023 and April 2024. However, between March and April 2024, the average price of 1kg of tomatoes increased by 17.06%.
A recent SBM Intelligence Jollof Rice Index noted that the average cost of cooking Jollof rice across major cities in the country hit N17,000 in March 2024 from N13,106 in October 2023.
The increase in the prices of jollof rice’s primary ingredients (tomatoes and fresh pepper) could further exacerbate the amount Nigerians spend on their cherished delicacy as Eid El-Kabir approaches. This could portend, as the SBM Intelligence report states, a “crisis at the table.”
