Scarcity of Tomatoes: Nigeria Imports Tomato From Ghana,Camerron

    photo credit: Authorityngr

Recently, scarcity of tomatoes hit most parts of markets nationwide with its attendant hike in prices.

 For now, no solution is in sight as Nigerians resort to importation of tomatoes which used to be common commodity in Nigeria from neighbouring countries such as Ghana and Cameroon. The AUTHORITY Correspondent in Port Harcourt, Blessing Ibunge reports that for Mrs Sarah Okuru, a dealer on tomatoes business at the Fruit and Vegetable Market in Port Harcourt, for over 15 years she had been in the business, it has yielded profits for those numbers of years.



But today, Mrs Okuru is finding the trade unprof­ itable. About a month ago, she was selling a basket of tomatoes at N2, 500.00 but that is not the case for today.

According to her, a basket of tomatoes today sells between N32, 000 – N35, 000, which is over hundred percent higher than the price of tomatoes in the monthof March. This situation is not peculiar to Mrs Sarah Okuru.

For instance, Anyameze Prisca said there had been scarcity of tomatoes for over a month, alleging that the cause could be the recent step by Dangote Group to buy off all the tomatoes farms in the Northern States.

She said, until last month, they sold a basket of tomatoes at N5, 000.00 but now, its price has inflated to N35, 000.00. Indeed, the price of tomatoes has been inflated in almost all the major markets in Port Harcourt, capi­ tal city of Rivers State.

But in an interview with The AUTHORITY, Mrs Sarah Okuru said the two major reasons for the increase in prices and scarcity of tomatoes include the heavy rainfall in Northern States as well as the alleged buying off tomatoes farms in the North for use for Dangpte paste and tin tomatoes production.

She added that the little tomatoes they sell were imported from Cameroon. Describing her past and present experience in the to­ matoes business, Mrs Okuru said “We normally have scarcity of tomatoes in later part of May, June and July and by August, we have many tomatoes.

 She not­ ed that this time around, it was because of the alleged purchase of tomatoes farms by Dangote Group and the heavy rainfalls which led to the scarcity. She explained that the tomatoe dealers are now buying from Cameroon. She said that the present tomatoes being sold comes from Cameroon.

The basket is very small and Nige­ rian tomatoes have good taste and plenty of vitamins than that of Cameroon “.But we don’t have any alternative than to use the available ones”, she said.

According to her, “From the north, one farmer’s bas­ ket of tomatoes is sold at N16, 000 and two of it costs N32, 000. A basket of tomatoes here is sold between N33, 000 and N35, 000.00. Before now, we used to buy farmer’s basket at N800 and N2,500. The market is very scanty. Everything is expensive.

 We buy our own pepper, a custard rubber of tomatoes is now sold at N3, 000.” Several housewives who spoke to The AUTHORITY said since the price of tomatoes increased, they have resorted to buying tin tomatoes and in many cases, they use more of pepper and onions. Mr Victor Eze, the Chairman of Fruit and Vegetable Marketers Association, said that fresh tomatoes are scarce in the North and traders import from Cameroon. Eze told The AUTHORITY at the Fruit Garden Market in Port Harcourt that tomatoes from the North were scarce due to rain fall in the area which made the fruit off season. He said that traders were expecting tomatoes from some parts of the states in the North despite the challenge of not getting enough supply from the area.

The Chairman also said that scarcity of the product increased as a result of the alleged Dangote Group’s buying off tomatoes farms in the North for tomatoes paste production. “Tomatoes are now scarce.

 We import from Ghana, but Ghana is off season so we buy from Cameroon, because our species from Jos is off season as a result of rain. We heard that Dangote bought a large tomatoes farm in the North yet it is not enough for his company.

 Dangote has started buying their toma­ toes. The company is paying cash and this has inflat­ ed the price again.

 “We used to buy 20 kg basket of tomatoes at N1,500, but it is now N10, 500.Tomatoes worth of N500 cannot make a meal for a family. Whereas we have the Rivers Sustainable Development Project set up by the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi at Ubimini along Omoku.

“The farm project which is being managed by Sam Callus, produces tomatoes, cucumber, Pineapple and Letus .

Another agriculture project is the Songai farm in Ogoniland and it has not been producing any meaningful foods “Government is a continuous business and is ex­ pected that the incumbent Governor, Nyesom Wike will support the past Governor’s vision on farms pro­ duction,” Eze added.

It would be recalled that the Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote set up a giant factory for the produc­ tion of tomatoes.

Dangote had earlier made it public that the tomatoes fac tory would boost domestic output and create jobs.

 The newly-established Dangote Tomato Processing Factory in Kadawa, Kano State has the capacity to process 120 tonnes of fresh tomatoes per day at full capacity, an official recently said.

The Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaita, said in Kadawa that the company, which has already began test production had pro­ cessed over 500 tonnes of tomatoes. However, in Abuja, Traders revealed to The AUTHORITY Correspondent, Blessing Ohiemi at the New Orange Market, Mararaba that the price of toma­ toes have increased due to scarcity and pest infestation.

Contrary to the popular belief held, the traders maintained that the recent increase in petrol pump price did not affect the prices of foodstuff, especially tomatoes. In separate interviews with The AUTHORITY Correspondent on Monday, the traders explained that since it is planting season, tomatoes are not in excess, hence the scarcity which resulted in price increase.

One of the traders, Balarabe Abubakar explained that the only factors affecting the price of tomatoes include plant pests, diseases and food shortage.

He further urged the government to find a solution to tomato diseases, worms and pests in order to check the situation of tomato scarcity.

 Another dealer, Alhaji Muhammadu who sells dried tomatoes at N300 per bowl said that the price of dried tomatoes per bowl had increased by N100 in the past one month.

He further stated that in the fu­ ture, the price may increase to N500. The Secretary General of the New Orange Market, Haladu bala, said that the fuel increase has no effect on the prices of foodstuff. He further stated that, “even if the government doubled the price of fuel, sales would go on.”