Tomatoes, pepper, onions and other perishable items are now beyond the reach of many in Kano as prices keep rising, Daily Trust can report.

While a bowl of tomato is sold at N5000, that of pepper (Tatase) costs ₦10,000. Habanero (Taruhu) is N3500 and Onion (Albasa) is N2500 per bowl, a price survey at zoo road and locations reveals.

Umar Ali, a perishable items seller along the court, said a basket of Tomato goes for as high as between N65000 and N70,000 even at the Yan Kaba market, a popular vegetable and perishable market in Kano, a bag of Pepper cost about ₦120,000.

“I just bought these items, though very expensive, because some of my customers would still be coming to buy otherwise I would not buy. This is not the time to sell soup ingredients like tomatoes because of the price,” Ali said.

Bukar Zanna, a paramedic at Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH said he buys tomato paste and dried Tatase to prepare meals.

He said his wife would add much seasoning and salt to the soup to augment the ingredients.

“I have stopped buying fresh tomatoes and pepper because of the hiked price. I just buy a carton of tomato paste at Singer Market and add other ingredients to prepare our meals these days. I also use bean soup as an alternative to stew because bean is relatively cheaper now,” he said.

Abubakar Danzaria said he bought tomatoes, onions and peppers worth N7500 at Yan Kaba market at the weekend but was shocked two days later when his wife told him that all were used.

“N7500 worth of soup ingredients could not last more than three days. I cannot afford to continue buying fresh tomatoes. We will find an alternative but eating rice and stew is off the menu for me for now until when the season for it comes,” Danzaria said.

Musa GGA, a civil servant, said his wife prepares local soups with tomato paste and dried Tatase for dinner while fried cooking oil and grinded pepper (yaji) are the ingredients for cooked white rice and beans taken during launch.

Yushau Karaye who sells tomato and other perishables said he had stopped buying because of the sharp increase in price and the risk of easily getting rotten if unsold.

Sellers attribute the rise in price to low production at the beginning of the rainy season in parts of Kano and the cost associated with transporting them from tomato-producing areas like Zaria,Gombe and Jos.


The Kano State Chairman of Tomato Outgrowers’ Association of Nigeria (TOGAN), Sani Danladi Yadakwari had told newsmen in June that slow production of tomato was responsible for the hike in price.

He said supply of tomato in particular has reduced significantly in view of the intense heat noticeable at the beginning of the rainy season, adding that supply is expected to return to normal in September when tomato season starts.

Similarly the National President of TOGAN, Abdullahi Ringim said over 500 farmers in Kano lost nearly 300 hectares of tomato plantation to Tomato pest attacks last year estimated at about N17 billion.

Ringim said his association has been engaging with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and other relevant bodies to provide better and improved seeds that are resistant to disease like Tuta Absoluta as well as reduce over dependence on imported seeds.