Nigerians are experiencing a 363 percent increase in the price of fresh tomatoes with the spread of the ‘Tuta absoluta’ pests, popularly known as “Tomato Ebola”, that has plagued tomato production for years without effective government effort to address it.
Reports in Nigerian dailies claim that the country had an opportunity to quell the recurrence eight years ago after it suffered from the devastating invasion of the ‘Tuta absoluta’ pests.
The reports claim that the government has instead allowed it to recur year after year, leading to the current ravages in the main tomato-producing northern states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Gombe, with an estimated N1.3 billion ($1.7 million) loss, according to the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT).
A market survey carried out by the Nigerian online news platform, BusinessDay, shows that a big basket of fresh tomatoes in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, is sold for between N43,000 ($57) and N45,000($60) depending on negotiation, compared to N9,500 ($13) in January.
The National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) said tomato farmlands in Kano state have recorded about 80 percent loss owing to the spread of the pest.
The association said that “More than 300 hectares have been destroyed by the outbreak, which has affected more than 500 farmers in Kano State, and also affected farmers in Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, and Gombe states,” he said.
‘Tuta absoluta’ is known to swiftly ravage tomato cultivation in as little as 48 hours, which is the reason for the nickname, Tomato Ebola. It can breed between 10 and 12 generations in a year with the female capable of laying between 250 and 300 eggs within its lifetime.
The damage caused has prompted talks of the possible importation of tomatoes from neighboring West African countries.
Experts say Nigeria is the 13th largest producer of tomatoes in the world and the second after Egypt in Africa, yet the country is still unable to meet local demand because about 50 percent of tomato produced is wasted due to a lack of storage facilities, poor handling practice, and poor transportation network across the country.
They insist that the recurrence of Tomato Ebola without any solution to tackle it at a national scale in Nigeria shows that relevant authorities seem helpless in implementing preventive measures.
