The National Tomato Growers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NATPAN) has predicted a steady increase in the price of the produce post-Ramadan.

The Kaduna State chairman of the association, Rabiu Zuntu, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Friday in Lagos.

“The harvest period for tomatoes is over, so we should be expecting a higher price for the produce in the coming months,” he said.

Mr Zuntu said the price of the produce would steadily increase following the end of harvest and the decline in glut experienced early in the year.

“Though we still have the produce in stock, it is gradually dwindling, and we no longer have a glut as we had earlier in the year.

“Although farmers in the Kano and Kaduna axis are still harvesting tomatoes, we no longer have gluts.

“The volume of tomatoes has gone down. The glut season is over too,” he said

Mr  Zuntu noted that the prices of tomatoes and other veggies have been stable since Ramadan due to an excess harvest.

“But with the decline in the glut we experienced in the early months of the year, the price of tomatoes will be on the increase,” he said.

He, however, noted that preparations for the wet-season cultivation were underway to help curb the price hike in the coming months.

“For us up north, the rainy season is on course; there is no delay in the rain because we are approaching the wet season, and we are expecting rain based on our tradition around April.

“So, we have started preparing the farm and land clearing in preparation for the wet season farming,” Mr Zuntu said.

He said that currently, a 50kg basket of tomatoes in the north sells for about N20,000, as against N5,000 and N8,000 a fortnight ago.

“However, before the produce is transported to Lagos and other parts of the country, it will be sold between N30,000 and N40,000.

“The increase in fuel price will not affect the prices of tomatoes up north, but transportation to other places will definitely affect the price in other areas,” he said.

(NAN)