News / Local
Tomatoes shortage hits the city
15 Oct 2012 at 04:13hrs | Views
Frost which hit farming areas near Bulawayo last winter has resulted in shortage of tomatoes in the city, vegetable traders have said.
The shortage has caused prices of tomatoes to shoot up.
The general manager of New Market, Mr Nelson Ncube, said tomatoes were expensive at the moment because of the frost that happened during the winter.
"From the end of July to beginning of August there was too much frost which affected tomatoes," he said.
A crate currently costs between $30 and $35 from the usual price of $20.
A packet of tomatoes is selling between $1,50 and $2 per kilogramme whereas the normal price ranges between $7 and $8 per 20kilogrammes.
Mr Ncube said most tomatoes in the city were coming from West Nicholson which was not affected by frost.
A director at Golden Brooks market said the shortage had been worsened by a ban on tomato imports.
He said in the past imports helped when there was a shortage on the local market.
The shortage has caused prices of tomatoes to shoot up.
The general manager of New Market, Mr Nelson Ncube, said tomatoes were expensive at the moment because of the frost that happened during the winter.
"From the end of July to beginning of August there was too much frost which affected tomatoes," he said.
A packet of tomatoes is selling between $1,50 and $2 per kilogramme whereas the normal price ranges between $7 and $8 per 20kilogrammes.
Mr Ncube said most tomatoes in the city were coming from West Nicholson which was not affected by frost.
A director at Golden Brooks market said the shortage had been worsened by a ban on tomato imports.
He said in the past imports helped when there was a shortage on the local market.
Source - TC
