Despite the high cost of
most food items in markets across the country, investigations by The Tide in Port Harcourt indicate that the cost of tomatoes was on a decline.
At the fruits and vegetable market in Kaduna Street in Port Harcourt, traders of the commodity and customers confirmed the fall of tomato prices .
According to a tomato seller, Mrs Stella Ugo, the development may not be unconnected with the successful tackling of the tomato disease by the federal government few months ago.
“I believe the government has tackled the tomato disease that lowered production in the north”, she said.
Another trader who gave her name as Madam Joy told The Tide that a basket of tomatoes that went for as much as N40,000 two months ago has now dropped to less than N20,000.
Some tomato consumers who spoke to The Tide expressed happiness over the development.
According to Ephraim Azu, a bulk dealer on tomatoe said the fall on the price of tomato has helped him retain his customers.
At the Miles One and three markets, the story was the same as some customers confirmed the price reduction.
According to a restaurant operator.
Acording to a Restaurant Mrs Nkechi Ehie, the fall in the price of tomato has made her increase the preparation of jollof rice, one of the main items on her menu.
“I mostly prepare jollof rice, so when the price of tomatoes rose it affected my output very much”.
“I am very happy now because I have gone back to full preparation of my main menu despite the high cost of other condiments”, she said.
It could be recalled that early this year, a strange tomato disease tuta absolute ravaged large acres of farmland, especially in the northern part of the country.
The development put the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and rural development on its toes.