Agriculture Minister attributes tomato price increase, scarcity to infestation
The Agriculture and Food Security Minister, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has revealed that the recent increase in tomato prices is a direct result of an infestation called Tomato Ebola.
This infestation has led to a shortage in the availability of tomatoes, consequently driving up prices in the market.
Senator Kyari shared this information in a post on X.com, addressing concerns raised by a user who expressed frustration at the soaring tomato prices, likening it to being charged for each seed.
In his post, the minister wrote, “A significant number of our tomato farms have been affected by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner. This has drastically reduced the availability of tomatoes and contributed to rising costs.”
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Kyari added that the ministry has outlined plans to combat the issue, which include deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to control and eliminate the infestation and supporting farmers with resources and guidance to recover their crops quickly.
“We understand the impact this has on your daily lives and are working tirelessly to resolve the situation and restore the supply of affordable tomatoes. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time, he added.”
The prices of basic food commodities such as rice, beans, maize, plantains, and tomatoes surged by 25.34 per cent to 40.01 percent as of March 2024.
