Why dried tomato prices remain steady in Katsina

Despite the acute scarcity of fresh tomato in Katsina markets recently, the demand for dried tomato in the markets was not as high as expected, Daily Trust gathered. Over the years, the price and demand for dried tomato goes high in the period of April to August when fresh produce is scarce, the story however […]

Despite the acute scarcity of fresh tomato in Katsina markets recently, the demand for dried tomato in the markets was not as high as expected, Daily Trust gathered.
Over the years, the price and demand for dried tomato goes high in the period of April to August when fresh produce is scarce, the story however is different this year as many food vendors and householders have taken advantage of the tomato glut experienced in the last three months to store a lot of the dried commodity for the rainy day.
Alhaji Surajo Funtua, a dried tomato dealer and merchant said most of the buyers, especially food vendors, had stocked the commodity when fresh tomato was very cheap, hence its demand now was not as high as expected.
“Two years ago, when there was shortage of fresh tomato, the demand for the dried one was high and its price rose to N20,000 per 100Kg bag, but this year the highest price of the commodity is N11,000. This is as a result of the glut farmers experienced in last December, January and February when many people, including food vendors, businessmen, farmers and householders dried as many baskets as they could and story them for the rainy day.
“This is what affected our business as the demand is not as much as it used to be,” said Alhaji Surajo.
Alhaji Surajo further explained that they travelled to faraway places to source for dried tomato, particularly when its demand was high.
“The prime period of dried tomato is from May to August when the fresh one is scarce due to humid condition and we travel to far away Gashua – Yobe State and Shinkafi – Zamfara State to source for it. Dried pepper is sourced from Difa – Niger Republic, Maiduguri – Borno State and Yar’gamji – Katsina State,” he said.
A food vendor in Maska, Hajiya Talatu said though the scarcity and high cost of fresh tomato have since forced her to use the dried variety, she said had not bought any yet as she had stocked enough for her business during the season.
“Unlike previous years, this year I stocked enough dried tomato for my business all through the season. During the glut I bought over 200 baskets at the rate of N300 to N400 and I dried them in my house so I don’t buy it at the high rate now,” she said.
Hajiya Talatu further advised food vendors to devise their own ways of drying the tomato to enable them save during the period of scarcity and high cost.
This reporter observed that the price of fresh tomato now exceeds N25,000 per big basket and the commodity and yet it is scarce in Katsina markets.