Households Groan as Tomato Prices Soar

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The decline in pepper prices has brought relief to traders and consumers in Lagos markets, but rising tomato costs continue to strain household budgets and affect traders’ sales.

Market traders and consumers disclosed this in separate interviews in Lagos, attributing price movements to seasonal availability, supply levels and transportation costs.

Malam Mohammed, a tomato seller at Costain Bus Stop, said he sourced his produce from Mile 12 Market, where prices varied according to the tomatoes’ variety, size and origin.

According to him, a paint of tomatoes, which sold for N6,000 in August and September, now costs N7,000, while a basket has increased from between N35,000 and N40,000 to between N45,000 and N65,000.

Mohammed said the high prices made it difficult for traders to maximise profits, adding that some customers complained about the sizes and quantities they received for the amount paid.

He added that a large bag of pepper currently sold for between N30,000 and N40,000, although he could not recall its exact price in August and September because of fluctuations.

Another trader at Costain Bus Stop, Rukayat Sherif, said she purchased tomatoes and pepper from Mile 12 Market because she trusted the source.

Sherif said a basket of Ghana tomatoes currently sold for between N40,000 and N45,000, compared with N50,000 and above in August and September.

She added that a paint of tomatoes now cost N7,000, against between N4,000 and N5,000 in September.

According to her, a small bag of pepper, which sold for between N30,000 and N35,000 in August and September, now costs between N20,000 and N25,000.

Sherif said five tomatoes were sold for N500, while pepper was also available for N500 in small rubber plates containing a generous quantity.

She attributed the price movements partly to seasonal availability and transportation expenses, expressing hope that tomato prices would fall to more affordable levels.

She said lower prices would help improve sales and reduce complaints from customers.

At Suru Market in Suru-Alaba, another tomato seller, Regina Owho, said large baskets of tomatoes currently sold for about N50,000, while smaller baskets cost between N35,000 and N45,000.

Owho recalled that a basket sold for about N40,000 in August and September, although prices fluctuated during the period.

A resident of Vaughan Street, Costain, Mary Chigozie, said she spent between N2,000 and N5,000 daily on tomatoes and pepper but had reduced the quantities used in cooking because of the high cost of tomatoes.

She said small quantities of tomatoes that previously sold for N200 or N300 now cost N500 or N1,000.

Meanwhile, pepper traders and consumers reported improved availability and more affordable prices in some Lagos markets.

Rukayat Rasheeb, a pepper trader at Olaogun Street, Abule-Nla Junction, Costain, said a bag of pepper currently sold for between N45,000 and N60,000, the same price range recorded in August and September.

She, however, observed that pepper was now more plentiful than during the earlier period, explaining that prices generally fell when the produce was in season and rose when supplies became scarce.

Another trader at the same location, Okoro Ebubechi, said he currently bought a small basket for N20,000, compared with between N30,000 and N40,000 in September.

He attributed the reduction to increased seasonal availability, adding that transportation expenses also influenced the prices charged by traders.

Odunayo Igwe, a pepper trader at Ilogbo Mosque, Apapa Road, said a bag currently sold for N30,000, unchanged from the price recorded in September.

Igwe said pepper was now more plentiful than in September, when supplies were lower. She also identified transportation costs as a factor affecting selling prices and expressed hope that prices would decline further.

Patience Niju, a pepper seller at Suru Market, Suru-Alaba, said she currently bought a small bag for N25,000 and a larger bag for N40,000.

She added that a small bag of shombo cost N20,000, while a larger one sold for N30,000.

According to Niju, the prices remained unchanged from August and September, but the bags contained more pepper in October.

A civil servant residing in Iyana Ipaja, Teni David, said N200 to N500 could now buy more pepper than in August and September, when the same quantity cost between N1,000 and N1,500.

David attributed the seasonal glut partly to inadequate preservation facilities, explaining that large quantities of pepper entered the market as the produce ripened, prompting traders to sell quickly before it lost its freshness.

Another consumer, Mary Udonwa, said pepper had become more affordable, allowing households to purchase larger quantities.

She said she currently spent between N500 and N1,500 on pepper, depending on her needs.

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