Nigerians Opt For Carrot And Garden Egg For Stew As Price Of Tomato Skyrockets

 

Quite a number of customers according to the News Agency Of Nigeria have in the Federal Capital Territory ditched tomatoes for garden eggs, pumpkin and carrots in making their stews and other sauces due to the scarcity and increase in the price of tomatoes.

An individual even claimed that garden eggs when blended with pepper and onions would go very well with rice in the same manner as tomatoes do.

While others now opt for traditional soups like vegetable, white soup and banga soup (made from parm kernel) in place of tomato stew.

Mrs Jumai Amodu, a mother of five, explained that “there is an unexplainable satisfaction that comes with taking cooked rice and stew.”

 So when tomatoes became very expensive, she and her family had to go a week without rice and tomato stew which hadn't happened before.

This prompted her family to explore garden egg stew.

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“Since tomatoes became very expensive, we decided to use garden egg for stew and it is as sweet as tomato stew." Amodu said

“The only major difference between garden egg stew and tomato stew is the colour.

“We also use pumpkin stew with rice sometimes and although it has its unique taste, it blends well with rice.”

According to NAN, a basket of tomatoes which was sold for about N10,000 now goes for N35,000.

Apart from Seasonal farming which is still being practiced by many in Nigeria, a lot of fertiliser is needed to grow tomatoes and fertilisers have been unaffordable for many farmers, hence the scarcity and price hike.