Why Tomatoes, Onion Prices Slumped

Some tomatoes and onion sellers in Enugu State have attributed the crash in prices of the commodities to their harvest season, leading to a glut in Enugu.

A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday revealed that prices of the soup ingredients have crashed, compared to what they were some weeks ago.

The price of a big basket of UTC tomatoes now sells for N6,500 as it has flooded the markets.

The price of small baskets of the tomatoes cost between N4,000 and N4,500.

A tomatoes seller at tomato section of Garki Market, Mrs Lucy Aku, attributed the price drop to its harvesting season.

Aku said that the UTC specie, which usually comes from Jos, has flooded the market, forcing the price to come down.

According to her, some weeks ago, the specie of tomato was sold between N7,000 and N8,500.

Mrs Victoria Obum, another tomato trader at the Market, said that the price of tomatoes would continue to remain stable at the moment, except toward the end of March, when the rainy season sets in.

Mr Ugochukwu Offor, another seller at New Akwata-Garki Market said that a five-litre bucket of tomatoes now sells for N500 as against N650 while half of the five-litre bucket sells for N250 as against N300.

Meanwhile, the survey revealed that the price of onion has also dropped significantly as a bag of the commodity now sells for between N6,000 and N7,000.

A seller at onion market in New Garki Market, Mr Ado Ibrahim, said that price of the commodity has dropped following it harvest season in the Northern part of the country.

Ibrahim lamented that many onions were being wasted as a result of a glut and lack of storage facilities.

Another onion seller at Top-land Market, Miss Ifeoma Nneji, said that 10 sizable onions now go for N100 as against N400 some weeks ago.

A buyer, Miss Happiness Ude, at Mayor Market expressed joy over the drop in prices of both commodities.

Ude added that it would help someone to have a balanced meal.

“When we add tomatoes and onions to our foods daily, we will begin to have nourished skins,’’ she said. 

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