Speaking on
Channels Television
In the ‘Business Morning’ program on Thursday, Rewane highlighted that the effects of the outbreak go well beyond tomatoes, causing a ripple in costs throughout the entire food market.
An rise in the price of tomatoes triggers cost elasticity, causing the prices of alternative products such as carrots, tomato paste, tomato puree, and others to also go up.
One for the redness, two for the impact and thickness of the sauce you’re preparing.
“Nevertheless, since tomatoes are a perishable item, the emergence of what could be termed ‘tomato ebola’ would lead to an increase in prices and a decrease in supply, which would consequently affect numerous other aspects,” Rewane clarified.
He noted that Nigeria’s inadequate food storage facilities and absence of prevention strategies have exacerbated the situation, leading to significant disruptions in the supply chain.
Rewane’s remarks follow a significant rise in tomato prices, where a 50-kilogram basket of the produce that previously cost N5,000 is now being sold between N10,000 and N30,000. This escalation exacerbates food inflation and puts pressure on family budgets.
The Federal Government stated that Nigeria has reportedly lost more than N1.3 billion due to the invasion of pests in major tomato-growing regions such as Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, stated that the epidemic has severely interrupted tomato distribution networks, leading to a sharp increase in their costs.
He pointed out that the emergence of tomato Ebola underscores the vulnerability of Nigeria’s farming networks, adding that this destructive species can decimate tomato plants in just two days, leading to massive drops in production.
He emphasized that this emergency underscores the critical necessity for comprehensive pest control methods, funding for robust plant types, and improved assistance for agricultural workers to protect the nation’s food distribution networks.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
Syndigate.info
).
Leave a Reply