Shehu Jibrin, Chairman of Mile 12 Market, reveals that insecurity and plant diseases are the main causes behind the over 500% price hike in tomatoes and peppers in Nigeria. Discover the full story behind this significant increase.
Shehu Jibrin, the Chairman of Mile 12 International Market in Lagos, has attributed a dramatic over 500 percent increase in tomato and pepper prices to insufficient supply, rampant insecurity, and crop infestations.
In an interview on Channels Television, monitored by ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER on Monday, Jibrin detailed the reasons behind the soaring prices of these essential commodities.
ALL FACTS NEWSPAPER has reported that three pieces of tomatoes and peppers now sell for N1000 and N500, respectively, a significant jump from their previous prices of N100 and N50 just a few months ago. This represents a staggering 900 percent price increase.
Jibrin highlighted that the supply chain disruptions, primarily due to security issues and plant diseases, have led to a significant drop in the availability of tomatoes and peppers in Lagos from other states.
“Unless the government addresses the issue of insecurity, the high prices of tomatoes and peppers will persist,” Jibrin stated. “We are currently in the off-season, expecting supplies from Ilaro, Ogbomosho, Abeokuta, Osun, and parts of Cameroon. However, delays from these regions, coupled with the limited supply from Cameroon, are insufficient to meet the high demand.”
Jibrin further explained that the anticipated supply from the Northern states has been severely impacted by a disease known as tomato Ebola. “Assuming we have 5000 farmers in the country, fewer than 1500 are actively farming. Many farmers in the North are in internally displaced camps due to insecurity. Without addressing this insecurity, the prices of tomatoes, peppers, and other perishables will continue to rise,” he emphasized.
Previously, the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, also pointed to the scarcity of tomatoes caused by tomato Ebola, or tomato leaf miners, as a significant factor in the price hike. The Tomatoes Growers Association of Nigeria echoed this concern, attributing the rising costs to the same infestation.
The National Bureau of Statistics, in its latest Consumer Price Index and Inflation report, noted that food inflation has surged to 40.66 percent and 40.53 percent, respectively, reflecting the broader impact of these agricultural and security challenges on the economy.
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