Fuel Costs and End of Harvest Season Put Upward Pressure on Tomato Prices

NATPAN's Kaduna chairman Rabiu Zuntu cautioned traders and consumers on 14 March that rising fuel costs combined with the end of the tomato harvest season are converging to push prices higher. He noted that logistics now account for a disproportionate share of tomato costs, with a 50kg basket selling for ?20,000 at farm gate in the north but ?30,000–?40,000 by the time it reaches southern markets. The association urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to provide input support ahead of the 2026 wet-season planting round and called on consumers to understand the structural, seasonal nature of tomato supply cycles.