Kaduna, Nigeria – June 11, 2025
The price of tomatoes has spiked across major markets in Nigeria, and farmers are pointing fingers at a combination of the Eid-el-Adha (Sallah) festivities and a dip in local production as the cause.
In interviews conducted with farmers and traders in Kaduna, Kano, and Plateau States , Nigeria’s major tomato-producing regions many confirmed that the festive demand surge, coupled with seasonal production decline, has pushed prices beyond the reach of average consumers.
At the popular Kawo market in Kaduna, a basket of tomatoes that sold for between ₦18,000 and ₦22,000 in May is now going for as high as ₦35,000, with retailers forced to pass the cost to buyers.
Alhaji Musa Lawal, a tomato farmer from Danja, Katsina State, attributed the supply shortage to harsh weather conditions and pest attacks earlier in the year.
“We had lower yields this season because of unexpected dry spells and infestation. Normally, this is our harvest peak, but production is low,” he said. “Now Sallah has increased the demand, especially from the South. Everyone wants to cook large meals, and buyers from Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are coming with cash.”
A tomato seller at the Mile 12 Market in Lagos, Mrs. Esther Uzo, also confirmed that demand has doubled.
“Trucks from the North are not bringing as much as before. We now spend more to get fewer baskets. I sell small cups for ₦500 now, and customers are complaining,” she lamented.
Experts in the agricultural sector note that Nigeria’s tomato supply chain is often vulnerable to fluctuations due to lack of storage infrastructure, heavy dependence on rain-fed farming, and transportation bottlenecks. According to a recent report by the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), nearly 45% of tomatoes produced in the country perish before reaching markets.
With Sallah celebrations approaching full swing, many fear prices could rise further before stabilising later in June when another harvest cycle is expected to begin in southern parts of the country.
Agricultural economists are calling on the government to invest in all-season greenhouse technology, cold-chain logistics, and rural irrigation systems to avoid seasonal shortages and cushion consumers from repeated price shocks.
Until then, tomato lovers may have to adjust their recipes or their budgets as the red gold of Nigerian kitchens becomes increasingly elusive.
