Reports reaching us at Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper has shown the crash of the price of a basket of tomatoes from N150,000 to not more than N60,000 now, especially in Lagos and Abuja.
A market survey in Ketu and Berger markets in Lagos confirmed that a big basket of tomatoes is currently selling between N55,000 and N60,000, down from an average of N150,000 a few months ago.
The survey shows that a crate of tomatoes that previously cost N55,000 is now being sold for N30,000.
Also a large basket of habanero pepper (rodo) is now selling for an average of N25,000, compared to N55,000 at the peak of the price surge.
Reports said that the crash in the prices is as a result of the fact that we are in the season, with Hausa tomatoes and peppers coming out.
A trader in Ketu market said that a small basket of tomatoes now costs between N20,000 and N25,000, lower than the previous price range of N30,000 to N34,000.
She said that a small sack of pepper is currently selling for about N15,000 to N20,000. This previously cost N50,000.
Traders at Berger market told the reporter that a big basket of tomatoes has dropped from between N150,000 and N200,000 to about N50,000-N60,000; adding that a crate of the commodity has decreased from N35,000 to N15,000.
In the same market, the largest sack of habanero pepper now sells for N19,500, down from between N200,000 and N230,000.
Traders said that the price of a medium sack fell from N130,000 to N17,500.
A trader said a big bowl (called rubber) of cayenne pepper (bawa) now costs between N8,000 and N9,000, significantly lower than the previous price of N28,000.
“It is because of the season and then, petrol. There is petrol to transport tomatoes,” the trader said, regarding the drivers of the price reductions.
A trader, identified as Muhammed in Dutse market, Abuja, said that a basket of tomatoes now sells for N8,000, a reduction from the previous price of N13,000/N15,000.
He said that consumers can now buy red bell pepper (tatashe) for N7,500 against the previous price of N12,000; stating that the price of habanero pepper has decreased to N9,000 from between N13,000 and N15,000.
Muhammed said that cayenne pepper is now for N8,000, compared to the earlier price of N12,000 in Dutse market.
Like traders in Lagos, Muhammed attributed the price drop to the seasonal availability of the items.
“Sometimes the price goes up and sometimes it comes down. We sell based on how we buy.
“If you come tomorrow, the price might go up or down. It changes unexpectedly.”
Musa, another trader, said that there is now enough supply in the market unlike before when there was a scarcity.
Source: TheCable.
