The Tomatoes Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria has assured Nigerians that the price of tomatoes and other vegetables will not increase during the upcoming Ramadan fasting period.
The Kaduna State Chairman of the association, Mr. Rabiu Zuntu, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that a combination of a bumper harvest and the timing of the fast this year will keep prices stable.
“Generally, the production of all food items decreases due to reduced consumption, and the Muslim faithful skip breakfast and lunch during the fast. So, the price of tomatoes may likely crash during Ramadan,” Zuntu stated.
He explained that unlike previous years when Ramadan often fell in April—a period of low supply—this year’s fasting begins in February and ends in March, coinciding with the peak harvest season in northern states like Kaduna and Kano.
“This means the price of tomatoes may crash further. Nigerians should not expect any increase in the price of tomatoes during Ramadan because the demand will get lower due to the fast. The demand will reduce, and there’s still a high supply of tomatoes in the northern market,” he added.
Zuntu noted that currently, a 50kg basket of tomatoes sells for between N7,000 and N10,000 at northern farms, down from N5,000 two weeks ago. With logistics costs, the same basket sells for N18,000 to N20,000 in southern markets.
He credited last year’s increased vegetable cultivation by northern farmers for the high yield, despite challenges like the Tuta absoluta virus. The association appealed to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to support vegetable farmers with inputs for the 2026 planting season.
