Chairman of Mile 12 International Market, Shehu Jibrin, has attributed the staggering 900% price increase of tomatoes and peppers in Nigeria to insufficient supply, insecurity, and infestation.
In an interview on Channels Television, on Monday, Jibrin highlighted the significant drop in supply from other states due to security challenges and plant diseases.
He noted that the off-season usually sees tomatoes coming from regions like Ilaro, Ogbomosho, Abeokuta, Osun, and Cameroon. However, the supply from these areas has been delayed and is insufficient to meet the high demand.
The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, and the Tomatoes Growers Association of Nigeria had earlier blamed the price hike on the scarcity caused by the tomato Ebola infestation.