Tomato farmers, traders cry out over cost of produce in Badagry

Jlike the price of other foodstuffs and agro commodities rising on daily basis, tomato traders in Badagry, Lagos State, have cried out over the growing price of the commodity, leaving them with little or no profit. According to The Guardian investigations across markets in the area, a basket of tomato, which they previously buy from farmers and other dealers at the rate of N5, 000, has increased to N23, 000, in the last few months.

At the Agumo market, one of the traders, who gave her name simply as Mrs Suleiman, attributed the development to the cost of transporting the produce from the farm gate to the market, which has increased drastically.

Mrs Suleiman said: “The increase in the price of fuel is the major reason for the increase in price of tomato. Before, we usually buy a basket for N5, 000, now it’s over N23, 000 for a basket.

“When those small local tomatoes were available few months back, we get them for as low as N3, 000. Now, it is not in the market again, it is those from the North that are available in the market, because of the increase in fuel price, the Northerners bringing the tomatoes from their region have increased the price.

“Before they lift it from Mile 12 to Agumo market here, they will add transport cost to it again, making it very expensive for us. Their excuse is the high cost of fuel.”

Another trader, Senami, who said she usually purchase at least a basket of the produce to resell, said she could no longer afford a basket because of price, instead she is buying only two paints rubber, as the price keeps increasing every market day.

She also blamed the scarcity and low patronage to the hike in the cost of transportation, noting that a good number of the farmers couldn’t afford to transport their goods to the market.

A retail trader at the Zunveh Whezunmeh area, Okoafo, Mr Pius Ahusimenre, said the development is not limited to only tomato, but to other agricultural produce, adding that the problem is not only caused by the hike in fuel price alone.

He said: “What is involved in this increase in price of commodities is much. Our major problem is that we rely solely on importation. The chemicals, tools, seeds and other necessary things for planting are imported. This is the reason for the increasing naira to dollar rate and when dollar increases, the price of things will definitely increase. “Another cause of the hike is transportation. There’s poor transportation system. The high price of fuel contributes to the increase in the price of tomatoes. When these local farmers are producing and selling their tomatoes, the price will be less because they do not pay much on transport to take it to the market.

“The solution to this is for government to help the local farmers financially to buy machines for grading their farms and cultivation. It will be easy for them. They only farm on one or two plots of land, at most an hectare of land. If they can have adequate machinery, they can go for many hectares.”

One of the farmers, Mr. Daniel, said climate change contributes to the decrease in the production of tomatoes and food production generally, noting that this has become more pronounced over the years.

Daniel said: “The reason why we cannot sell throughout the year is because of climate change. When there is no rain, our tomatoes will not grow well, so we don’t plant. It is only those that can afford borehole to wet their plants during the dry season that will have small tomatoes to sell. Also, we do not have the money to employ many farm hands. We only do the little we can, that is why we can’t produce much.

“The requirements for obtaining loan is too much, it requires a lot of grammars. They will even be praying that you are not able to pay back, so that they will collect your land, leaving you with nothing. There’s no help for us here, because we are inside the bush. We only hear of interventions and incentives, nothing comes to us. It is only those in big farms that can seek loan and access it.”