Rob Horgan
THE world’s most famous food fight is facing a backlash from tomato-famished Nigerians.
Newspapers in Nigeria have slammed the Tomatina festival which sees some 100 tons of tomatoes lobbed across the streets in Bunol, near Valencia, every August.
The African country is currently experiencing a massive tomato shortage which the media has labelled ‘tomato ebola’.
Massacred by a moth called the Tuta Absoluta, crops have been reduced by as much as 80%.
The massacre has resulted in a huge price increase for the red fruit, with a box of tomatoes which previously cost €1.20 now costing as much as €40.
Aware of Spain’s upcoming food fight, one paper, Newsroom, ran a series of photos under the headline ‘La Tomatina: 17 tomato photos that’ll make Nigerians cry, ‘Where is our God?’’.
Another, News 24 Nigeria, ran a similar story titled ‘Five tomato photos that will make Nigerians cry’.
However the mayor of Bunol, Rafa Perez Gil, has rejected the idea his town is at fault.
“The food fight is not to blame for the problems in Nigeria,” he said. “Although I am open to see how we can help, but the problem is very big and we are just a small town.”
