Nigerian traders and residents have bitterly lamented the rising cost and scarcity of pepper and tomatoes in the markets across the country.

According to Punch reports, the association of farmers and traders sighted ravaging Tuta absoluta, popularly known as tomato ebola; fuel subsidy removal and its effect on transportation; and the rainy season as major reasons behind the scarcity of the commodity and its sudden disappearance from markets.

“Tomato and pepper are now expensive because of the high fuel prices as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy. These food items are transported from the North to the South and the transporters make use of trucks which are dependent on fuel, so they added their fuel expenses to the cost of transporting tomatoes and pepper”. A tomato seller in Mowe, Ogun State, Mrs. Abiodun Farayola told punch newspapers.

“Almost every year, there is usually a period where tomatoes go out of season and become scarce. That one is normal. But this year, things have been different because of the fuel hike which has led to an increase in food prices”. She said.

A trader, Abdullahi Musa, who sells tomatoes and pepper in baskets in the market, said, “It is not our fault that tomatoes are expensive now. Transportation from the North to Lagos has doubled, more so the rains damage most of the produce harvested, so the quantity coming into the state is limited.

“The rainy season has caused us great losses as harvested tomatoes and pepper perish once they come in contact with water. There is nothing we can do until the season passes.”

Reacting to the development, the President, Tomatoes and Orchard Producers Association of Nigeria, Mr Bola Oyeleke, who spoke with Punch attributed the scarcity of tomatoes to the disease outbreak, fewer tomato farmers and high temperatures in the North.

He added that farmers were yet to recover from the loss they suffered during the cash crunch when most of them sold their produce at giveaway prices.

Oyeleke said, “During the rainy season, only a few farmers venture into the production of tomatoes, due to financial constraints. The rains came early this year but in the North, there was intense heat which affected the plant. The continuous rain also comes with a lot of bacteria and fungi diseases that affect the plant.”

The TOPAN president further decried farmers’ inability to access loans and grants, saying it was the reason why small-scale farmers were pulling out from the production of tomatoes this year.

Oyeleke added that the tomato ebola experienced earlier in the year also contributed to the scarcity. He noted that the price of tomatoes from the North on Friday sold between N27,000 and N32,000, adding that it would remain so until next month.

“We need government intervention and private and individual partnership in the sector,” Oyeleke added.