Nigeria tomato prices expected to fall from August as wet‑season harvest begins

Nigeria’s Tomatoes Growers and Processors Association (TOPAN) warned that the sharp rise in tomato prices since May is seasonal. A 50 kg basket that sold for N18,000‑20,000 in January now costs N100,000‑130,000, and a 25 kg crate trades at N50,000‑70,000 in Lagos markets.

TOPAN Kaduna State chairman Rabiu Zuntu told the News Agency of Nigeria that the surge will ease after the wet‑season harvest starts in August, thanks to flood‑resistant and heat‑tolerant seed varieties. He linked the May‑June scarcity to climate‑related erratic rains and extreme heat, and urged the government and private investors to expand cold‑chain storage and provide better seeds, fertilisers and agro‑chemicals to stabilise supply and prices year‑round.