The Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, attributed the scarcity and elevated prices of tomatoes in the country to a severe infestation affecting the crop. In a statement on Monday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Kyari referred to the infestation as “Tomato Ebola” or “Tomato Leaf Miner.”
On Sunday, it was reported that a basket of tomatoes was selling for as high as N150,000 in some parts of the country.
“A significant number of our tomato farms have been affected by a severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato Leaf Miner. This has drastically reduced the availability of tomatoes and contributed to rising costs,” Kyari stated.
He added, “Our ministry is taking immediate action to combat this issue. We are deploying agricultural experts to affected areas to contain and eliminate the infestation. Additionally, we are supporting our farmers with the necessary resources and guidance to recover their crops as quickly as possible, just as we instituted the Ginger Blight Control Taskforce.
“We understand the impact this has on your daily lives and are working tirelessly to resolve the situation and restore the supply of affordable tomatoes,” Kyari concluded.