The Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Food Security has attributed the skyrocketing cost of tomato products across Nigeria to an infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner.
The announcement was made on Monday, May 27, 2024 through his official X account.
Minister Kyari was responding to the significant increase in tomato prices, which have surged by 131.58% from N485.10 per kilogram in April 2023 to N1,123.41 in April 2024, as reported by Podium News.
“Many of our tomato farms have been affected by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner,” Kyari explained. “This has drastically reduced the availability of tomatoes and contributed to rising costs.”
Kyari assured the public that immediate measures are being taken to address the crisis. “We are deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to contain and eliminate the infestation,” he stated. “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,” Kyari added.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s food inflation has surged to record levels. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicated that food inflation increased to 33.69% and headline inflation reached 40.53% in April 2024.
