FG speaks on tomato scarcity

The Federal Government through the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, has opened up on the scarcity of tomato in Nigeria.

The minister revealed that the scarcity is caused by “severe infestation known as Tomato Ebola or Tomato leaf miner.

Many households reportedly resorted to tomato pastes and other alternatives as the price of fresh tomatoes skyrockets.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, May 28, the minister said the federal government has taken action to combat the issue.

Kyari said: “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.

“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. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.”