Ahead of Ramadan, prices of tomato and pepper have soared by 60 per cent in some markets in Lagos, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

A NAN survey conducted at Mile 12, Oke Odo, Oyingbo and Iddo markets, Lagos, revealed that a 40 kilogramme basket of tomato, which cost N5,000 two weeks ago, had risen to N12,000.

Similarly, a 50 kg basket of bell pepper (tatashe) had risen to N12, 000 from its previous price of N6,000; 50 kg Chilli pepper (sombo) cost N9,000 as against N5,000, while a basket of scotch bonnet pepper (rodo) cost N13,500 as against N9,000.

A market leader at the Mile 12 Perishable Traders Association, Alhaji Haruna Mohammed, attributed the price increase to off-season effect and cost of transportation.

He, however, maintained that the prices of food items were still relatively cheaper compared to the same period two years ago.

Mohammed said the influx of perishable food items from the South-West states and Cameroon into the market would make up for the shortfall of supply from the North, and ensure that their prices were not too high.

Conversely, the price of a bag of onion decreased from N15,000 to N13, 000; 25 litres of palm oil dropped from N9,000 to N8,200 and a five-litre vegetable oil cost N2,400.