It Takes More Than Tomatoes to Make Nigerian Jollof Rice Says Food Vendor, Reacting to 58 Per Cent Drop in Prices of Tomatoes in Lagos Markets

By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde, Olufemi Orunsola 

In what may be aptly described as a great news capable of sending huge relief to the spines of households in Nigeria amid ongoing outcry against hunger in the land, a recent market survey has revealed a decreased in tomato prices across Lagos markets by 58% for the first time this year.

According to the national chairman of the Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Sani Danladi, tomato prices typically fall as the rainy season ends, as tomatoes struggle during heavy rains. 

OPEN TELEVISION Naija (OTN) News reports that currently, a large basket of tomatoes is priced at N50,000, down from N120,000 just a few months ago at Mile 12 Market. Similarly, a small basket now costs N6,500, compared to N13,000 earlier this year. 

For habanero peppers, a small basket now averages N13,000, a steep decline from N35,000 during the peak of price surges in May and June — a 68% drop. 

Farmers attribute the price reduction to the July/August rain break, which allowed for better tomato growth in northern Nigeria, the country's primary growing region. 

Additionally, some sources among Tomato farmers have revealed that government's efforts to combat the Tuta absoluta pest infestation have also helped stabilize tomato prices.

During the peak rainy season, when prices soared, many Nigerians substituted tomatoes with beets, cucumbers, and carrots for their stews, while other condiments and spices were conjured and re-configuted to make the popular Nigerian jollof rice. 

The SB Morgan Jollof Rice Index showed that the average cost of cooking a pot of jollof rice increased by 19.6% from N16,955 to N20,274 between March and June 2024.

Many roadside tomato vendors have also confirmed the price drop, stating, "I bought a small basket of tomatoes for N6,500 yesterday, which used to cost me N13,000." 

However, while farmers point to the rain break as the cause of the decline, an Economist, Bismarck Rewane suggested that the ongoing hunger protest has also contributed to the decrease, with vegetables being sold at perishable value.

He indicated that tomato and pepper prices could rise again as markets in Nigeria stabilize after the recent protests. 

However, Danladi assured that the current price drop is largely due to a lull in rainfall, with further decreases expected during the dry 

OTN News recalls that the earlier surge in tomato prices was driven by seasonal factors, the Tuta absoluta pest, and high transportation costs from northern growing regions to other parts of the country. 

Despite Nigeria being Africa's largest tomato producer, about 700,000 tons are lost annually due to post-harvest waste, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

Agricultural experts have also noted that this issue is compounded by the yearly outbreaks of Tuta absoluta, known as "Tomato Ebola," which devastate northern tomato farms and keep production levels low.

Given the relief, the news of the new price drops on tomatoes has brought to many Nigerian households, a cross section of Nigerians interviewed by OTN News on the development have expressed a common string of opinions that the federal government should catch in on the development to monitor the implementation of the President's executive order on removal of importation Tariffs on other imported food commodities such as rice, wheat, maize, sorghum to ensure the current waves of hunger in the land goes down significantly.

A Food vendor jokingly said, "It takes more than tomatoes to make Jollof Rice you know!", buttressing the viewpoints that the gains and impact of the drop in the price of tomatoes can only be properly felt by Nigerian families when the prices od other food items also come down appreciably in like manner.