Dutse –  Prices of tomato and pepper have risen in Dutse a survey conducted on Tuesday in Dutse and Shuarin markets in Jigawa revealed that a basket of tomato was being sold for N6, 500 against N400 last month.

A tomato seller, Mallam Musa Maikayanmiya, said that a measure, which sold for N50 last month, had gone up to N500.

“A mudu of pepper now sells for N300 against N150 it sold for two weeks ago.

“We sell based on what we buy from the farmers. Imagine a basket, which was N400 last month, is now N6, 500.

“If we don’t sell at high prices, how do we recover our money,” he asked.

Maikayanmiya explained that the prices were high because tomato and pepper were scarce as they were “off season”.

Mallam Muazu Ado, another seller, declared  that he travelled to far places before he could get the few he brought to the market.

He also attributed the high transportation cost for the rise in prices of the items.

A customer, Mrs Zainab Abubakar, voiced  that she had resorted to using tin tomato.