A fruit vendor at Bauchi Club GRA, Suleiman Jigawa, attributed the price hike to supply chain challenges.
A check by journalists at Muda Lawal and Wunti markets on Thursday in Bauchi showed that prices had shot up by about 100 per cent in the last four weeks.
“People hardly buy fresh pepper and tomato now, they go for the dried one which is more accessible and cheaper. Some go for the tin and packet of tomatoes and pepper,” he said.
Traders at the market attributed the hike in prices to increase in the demand amid low supply of the produce.
Mr Suleiman Sani, Vice Chairman of the association in Gombe State, said the ban would make its members jobless, increase unemployment and poverty in the country.
Residents attributed the hike to demand and the high cost of transportation.
The chairman also warned that any tricycle rider that carried an additional person on the front seat would be arrested.
