Sallah: Katsina residents decry high cost of fresh, dried tomato

The high cost of both fresh and dried tomato has greeted this year’s Sallah festivity as many people in Katsina State resorted to other vegetables in their menu. Scarcity of tomato has become a yearly occurrence nationwide in the months of April, May and June when rainfall sets in and destroys the crop in the […]

The high cost of both fresh and dried tomato has greeted this year’s Sallah festivity as many people in Katsina State resorted to other vegetables in their menu.

Scarcity of tomato has become a yearly occurrence nationwide in the months of April, May and June when rainfall sets in and destroys the crop in the farms.

 A tomato farmer and dealer in Kafur LGA, Alhaji Uzairu, said scarcity of the produce this year is so drastic that a big basket now cost over N20,000.

 “A small basket now cost N7,500 and three of that make up the big one. People are feeling the brunt of the price hike now because the situation coincides with the Sallah festivity,” he said.

 Malam Farouk Abdullahi, a consumer at Kafur market said, even the dried variety is very expensive.

“Normally, when fresh tomato is costly at this period, we resort to the use of the dried one but this year, even that seems unaffordable to many as a ‘tiya’ (measure) cost over N1,000 against N400 in the last few months. Many people in this Sallah period would rather go for okro and other cheaper vegetables,” said Abdullahi. 

A dried tomato dealer in Funtua, Alhaji Surajo Funtua, said they have limited control over the price of the commodity as it is sourced from other states.