Agric minister gives reasons for tomato price hike, scarcity

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has blamed the recent scarcity and hike in the price of tomatoes in parts of Nigeria on “severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola.

In a post on his X platform (formerly known as Twitter) on Monday, the minister said the federal government has taken measures to combat the issue.

He said: “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.

“Our ministry is taking immediate action to combat this issue. We are deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to contain and eliminate the infestation.

READ ALSO: Dangote seeks total ban on tomato importation

“Additionally, we are supporting our farmers with the necessary resources and guidance to recover their crops as quickly as possible, just as we instituted the Ginger Blight Control Taskforce.

“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.”

Many households in the country have reportedly resorted to tomato pastes and other alternatives as the price of fresh tomatoes skyrockets.

By: Babajide Okeowo

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