Tomato Prices Rise To N7,000 Per Paint As Pepper Gets Cheaper In Lagos

Tomato Prices Rise To N7,000 Per Paint As Pepper Gets Cheaper In Lagos

Tomato buyers in Lagos are paying more for smaller quantities as prices climb, while increased pepper supplies are allowing some households to buy more for less, leaving traders dealing with sharply different market conditions.

A paint of tomatoes now sells for as much as N7,000 at Costain, up from N6,000 in August and September, while baskets that previously cost between N35,000 and N40,000 now sell for N45,000 to N65,000, according to traders interviewed in Lagos.

Brandspur Business News reports that the contrasting price movements are affecting household food budgets and traders’ sales, with seasonal availability and transportation expenses influencing the cost of produce across several markets.

At Costain, tomato seller Mohammed said customers had complained about the quantities they received for the prices paid. The complaints have forced him to reduce the amount of produce he buys at a time to limit losses when unsold tomatoes deteriorate.

Another trader, Rukayat Sherif, said a basket of Ghana tomatoes now costs between N40,000 and N45,000, compared with N50,000 or more in August and September. However, she put the current price of a paint at N7,000, against N4,000 to N5,000 in September.

The pressure is also being felt in households. Mary Chigozie, a resident of Costain, said she spends between N2,000 and N5,000 daily on tomatoes and pepper but has cut the quantities she uses in cooking because of the cost of fresh tomatoes.

She said smaller portions that previously sold for N200 or N300 now cost between N500 and N1,000. When fresh tomatoes become too expensive, she sometimes combines pepper with tomato paste or prepares stew with red oil instead.

Pepper prices, meanwhile, have eased in some markets as supplies increase. At Costain, trader Okoro Ebubechi said a small basket now costs N20,000, down from between N30,000 and N40,000 in September. He said customers were purchasing larger quantities as prices fell.

Consumer Teni David, who lives in Iyana Ipaja, 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.

The relief may not last throughout the year. Traders and consumers expressed concern that pepper could become more expensive during the December festive period if supplies decline, while some tomato sellers hope prices will fall as market conditions change.

David also pointed to the limited availability of preservation facilities as a problem when large quantities of pepper reach markets at once. She called for more processing centres to help farmers and traders preserve produce during periods of abundance and reduce waste.

Transportation and loading charges remain additional costs for traders, even where produce has become more plentiful. The result is a mixed picture for Lagos shoppers: pepper is offering some respite, but the cost of tomatoes continues to strain food budgets.