(In Nigeria) Tomato ‘Ebola’ Outbreak Will Trigger Price Surge Across Broader Food Basket, Warns Rewane

 

Tomato ‘Ebola’ Outbreak Will Trigger Price Surge Across Broader Food Basket, Warns Rewane

  

Renowned economist Bismarck Rewane has warned that Nigeria’s ongoing tomato leaf miner outbreak, known as “Tomato Ebola,” is causing significant disruptions to the country’s agriculture sector and will lead to widespread food price increases. During a televised interview, Rewane explained that the spike in tomato prices—currently 50 kilograms selling for N10,000 to N30,000, up from N5,000—will ripple through the entire food basket, raising prices of substitutes like carrots, tomato paste, and puree. The outbreak has also resulted in supply shortages, as tomatoes are highly perishable, exacerbating food inflation and straining household budgets. The Federal Government estimates that Nigeria has lost over N1.3 billion due to the pest’s invasion in key tomato-producing states. Officials stress the need for improved pest management, resilient crop varieties, and better support for farmers to protect Nigeria’s food security amid this crisis.

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