Reports say a small basket of tomato, which sold for N25,000 in May this year, is now going for N800 in Kaduna.
Before this time, It had been all anger and pain for households as the price of tomatoes went high across the country as a result of scarcity caused by tuta absoluta, also known as “tomato ebola” which attacked the crop in the country.
As a result, the basket prices moved from the range of N800-N1200 to between N25,000 and N40,000 during the period.
But a visit to the Line Dogo (Rail Line) tomatoes and vegetable market in Kaduna over the weekend indicates a beehive of activities as buyers could not believe their eyes as tomato prices crashed to a two-month low.
Mr. Abass Mai Tumatur who is the chairman of the tomato sellers said the situation was a relief for everyone as tomato is now available and in large quantities for consumers.
Tumatur said, “Tomato scarcity is nothing new, but it was made worse this year by the invasion of the moth,”
He said the insects increase more during the dry season but don’t survive during the rainy season.
“The rains coupled with the efforts of government have helped tremendously in making tomato available,” he said.
He further praised the government for their timely intervention, assuring the public that the fear is gone now.
Recalled that most farmers were helpless as the moth ravaged their farms and left destruction across the farming community, making tomatoes as expensive as gold.
Hotels and restaurants, in particular, had a hectic time as the crisis affected their business as tomato paste increased in price.
The situation led to Nasir el-Rufai, the Kaduna state governor, declaring a state of emergency and dispatching officials to Kenya to find ways of tackling the ravaging insects.
The cost of the destruction in the state, according to el-Rufai, was caround N1 billion.
Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture and rural development, had during the period also commissioned experts to find solutions to the disease outbreak.
