Dealers Release New Prices as Experts Warn of Possible Rice, Tomato Scarcity in 3 Months
- Nigerians face potential food price hikes in three months as supply of staples tightens
- Experts warn of declining rice and tomato production amid rising costs nationwide
- They say that urgent government intervention is needed to avert fresh food shortages and inflation
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
Nigerians may soon face another round of food price shocks as experts warn that supplies of rice, tomatoes and other staple foods could tighten significantly over the next three months, raising fears of fresh inflation and increased hardship for millions of households.
The warning comes as dealers across major markets report fluctuating prices for essential food items, while industry stakeholders attribute the looming shortages to declining farm production, insecurity, rising transport costs and inadequate storage facilities.
Source: Getty Images
Rice production declines, tomato supply under pressure
The President of the Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA), Mr Alexander Isong, said Nigeria's food supply chain is under increasing pressure and could worsen before the end of the year if urgent interventions are not implemented.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Isong projected that rice production would decline by six per cent to about 8.3 million tonnes, while the total area under cultivation could shrink by seven per cent to approximately 4.2 million hectares.
According to him, data from the United States Department of Agriculture also indicates a five per cent year-on-year drop in Nigeria's rice output.
He warned that tomatoes are facing similar challenges, with shortages expected to persist until the late harvest season in October.
Beyond rice and tomatoes, Isong said maize, sorghum and millet could also experience supply constraints due to reduced planting activities recorded in 2025.
Dealers release new food prices
The warning comes as food dealers continue to adjust prices across Nigerian markets amid supply concerns.
Current average market prices include:
- Local rice (50kg): ₦85,000 to ₦105,000
- Foreign parboiled rice (50kg): ₦110,000 to ₦135,000
- Fresh tomatoes (large basket): ₦45,000 to ₦75,000 depending on location
- Onions (bag): ₦70,000 to ₦95,000
- Fresh peppers (bag): ₦60,000 to ₦90,000
Traders say prices remain volatile and could climb further if supplies tighten over the coming weeks.
Rising transport costs worsen food inflation
Isong blamed soaring logistics costs for adding further pressure to food prices.
According to him, transporting one tonne of grain from Kano to Lagos now costs about ₦70,000, compared with roughly ₦45,000 previously. On several routes, transportation expenses have doubled or even tripled due to higher fuel and energy costs.
He noted that onions and peppers are already becoming scarce in major producing areas, leading to noticeable price increases in urban markets.
The agriculture expert also said Nigeria will continue relying heavily on imported wheat, with imports projected at about 7.2 million tonnes.
Insecurity, poor storage behind food crisis
Isong identified insecurity across major farming communities, especially in northern Nigeria, as one of the biggest threats to food production.
He said thousands of farmers have been displaced, preventing them from accessing their farms and reducing overall agricultural output.
He also highlighted Nigeria's poor storage infrastructure, revealing that between 30 and 50 per cent of perishable agricultural produce is lost before reaching consumers because of inadequate cold chain facilities and post-harvest handling.
Experts call for urgent government action
To prevent a full-scale food shortage, Isong urged the Federal Government, state governments, private investors and development partners to coordinate immediate interventions, according to a report by Vanguard.
He recommended expanding access to improved seeds, fertilisers, irrigation systems and affordable credit ahead of the 2026/2027 planting season.
He also called for stronger security in farming communities, improved rural roads, expanded rail freight for agricultural produce, investment in aggregation centres, cold rooms and food processing facilities, as well as greater collaboration between governments, farmer cooperatives, logistics companies and commodity associations.
Source: Getty Images
According to him, Nigeria already produces substantial quantities of food, but poor storage, insecurity and inefficient distribution continue to prevent much of it from reaching consumers.
Without swift action, he warned, Nigerians could experience fresh shortages of rice, tomatoes, peppers, onions and other essential staples, triggering another wave of food inflation before the end of the year.
Dealers release Fresh prices for food items
Legit.ng earlier reported that the prices of major food staples consumed across Nigeria have continued their upward trend, with food inflation climbing to 16.96 per cent in May 2026, worsening pressure on household incomes and raising concerns over the cost of living.
New data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that food inflation rose from 16.06 per cent recorded in April to 16.96 per cent in May on a year-on-year basis. On a month-on-month basis, food inflation accelerated by 2.98 per cent.
According to the NBS, the increase was driven by higher average prices of essential food items, including onions, maize, melon (egusi), water yam, cassava flour, crayfish, fresh pepper, tomatoes, wheat grain, cassava tuber, yam tuber, sweet potatoes, ginger, plantain and cowpea (beans).
Source: Legit.ng
