*Say’s it has no health implications
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Apparently given the widespread hardship occasioned by subsidy removal and floating of Naira, most Nigerians poor families now seeks for tomatoes ridden with magot to buy for their rice meal soup and other delicacies openly.
The situation is worse in Kaduna as most of those who cues up for the magot ridden tomatoes said they’ve no money to buy the infected-free fresh tomatoes because of the high cost implications.
A retailer woman who attested to the fact, said “I buy and sell more of the rotten tomatoes because of the existing market patronage for it in communities of the poor”, also adding that some people have even made it their preference and choice.
“The prices are difference. The smooth, fresh looking tomatoes are more expensive than the rotten ones, and more people ask for it than the good tomatoes, we buy more of it than the one without magot because it move more market now”, she confirmed.
Investigation also revealed that the situation is worse with those operating commercial restaurants for profit margin purposes, saying most stew used in restaurants are from those tomatoes ridded with magot because of the high cost of smooth ones.
On whether, there’s any known health implications for the consumers of the magot rotting ridden tomatoes species, the woman retailers said, there’s none known to her since nobody brought back any complain to her.
Efforts to reach wholesalers and medical experts to clarify further on reasons and implications of the rotten to the larger poor consumer society, proved difficult owing to unfriendly atmosphere.
