The era of buying pepper for N500 is gradually disappearing across many markets as the prices of pepper and tomatoes continue to soar beyond the reach of average consumers.
A market survey revealed that the price of a 50kg basket of tomatoes has risen sharply from about N62,000 to N152,000, while a small sack of pepper now sells for as high as N120,000, up from N42,000. The price of a full 50kg bag of pepper has also climbed from about N120,000 to N237,000.
Findings showed that the sharp increase in supply prices has significantly affected retail costs, weakening consumers’ purchasing power and forcing many households to seek cheaper alternatives.
Speaking on the development, Merit Chukwunenye, a chef and manager of Raven’s Bites, said the rising cost of pepper and tomatoes has badly affected her operating expenses and profit margin.
According to her, a half paint bucket of pepper she previously bought for N2,000 recently cost her N4,000 at Ile-Epo Market.
‘Pepper is very expensive. I bought half paint for N4,000 after negotiating at Ile-Epo, whereas I used to buy it for N2,000,’ she said.
She explained that despite the increase in cooking ingredients, she has not adjusted the prices of meals sold to customers.
‘If I knew that the price of pepper would go up this much, I could have increased my food prices earlier. It has seriously affected my profit margin,’ she added.
Another consumer, Gift Abayomi, lamented that the least quantity of pepper now sold in many areas costs N1,000, making it difficult for low-income earners to cope.
‘I cannot buy pepper for now because it is beyond my budget. The last one I bought was not affordable. There is no pepper for N500 in my area anymore,’ she said.
She noted that many families now rely on dry pepper, dried tomatoes, bell pepper and tomato paste as substitutes for fresh produce.
‘We now use dry pepper, dry tomatoes and tomato paste to prepare stew, even though fresh pepper is healthier,’ she said.
Abayomi appealed to the government to intervene in the agricultural sector to reduce food prices and improve availability.
‘We are pleading with the government to help the agricultural sector so that food items can become affordable for citizens in every season,’ she added.
Similarly, Emmanuel Adedoyin said the quantity of pepper currently sold for N1,000 barely lasts a day.
‘The N1,000 pepper I bought is very small. It only lasts for one day,’ he said.
He also expressed frustration over the economic hardship facing ordinary Nigerians.
‘The government does not listen. No matter what people say, nothing changes, but it is affecting everybody,’ he stated.
An agribusiness educator and turnaround strategist, Africanfarmer Mogaji, attributed the surge in prices to climate change and poor agricultural planning.
According to him, extreme heat experienced around February disrupted tomato and pepper production across many northern states.
‘This year’s increase is mainly due to climate change and poor planning. The heat around February affected production seriously,’ he explained.
He stressed the need to decentralise food production across the country rather than depending heavily on northern Nigeria for pepper and tomato supply.
‘We need to break the production cycle concentration in the North. Different regions have different production windows, but the whole country still depends largely on the North,’ he said.
Mogaji argued that southern states possess climatic advantages that could support tomato and pepper cultivation during periods when northern production declines.
‘The North cannot efficiently produce tomatoes during March and April because of weather conditions, but the South has a better climate advantage during that period,’ he noted.
He also criticised many southern governors for not paying enough attention to agriculture despite available opportunities.
According to him, southern states could not only satisfy local demand but also export pepper and tomatoes to neighbouring West African countries if investments in agriculture were properly prioritised.
‘The South has the opportunity to produce enough tomatoes and pepper for Nigeria and even export to Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso, but many states are not taking advantage of it,’ he said.
He maintained that improving food security would require stronger government support, better planning, regional agricultural coordination and increased private sector participation in farming.