Nigerians have criticized as wasteful an annual Spanish tomato-throwing festival held each August. An insect pest nicknamed “tomato Ebola” has devastated the Nigerian tomato crop, causing severe shortages of the staple crop, and prices that have spiked 400 percent.

Each year, La Tomatina festival goers throw more than 100 tonnes of tomatoes at each other on the last Wednesday in August until a 20,000-strong crowd is practically swimming in tomato paste, EuroWeeklyNews reported. Started in 1945, the Tomatina festival was recognized as a Spanish tradition of national importance and touristic value in 2002.

It’s the world’s most famous food festival, DailyMail reported:

As people have realized how fun gastronomic violence can be, it has evolved into an officially sanctioned festival – with the tomatoes dispensed by town authorities from the back of five dumper trucks…but it is the senseless anarchy, the chance to forget oneself and act without consequence, that makes it appealing to so many – even if their friends may not agree.

Nigerians are not amused.

Tuta absoluta, aka tomato leaf miner moths and their larvae have wiped out much of the Nigerian tomato crop. A large basket of tomatoes went up 400 percent from about $10.40 three months ago to $40, according to local media, NPR reported.

About 200 Nigerian tomato farmers have lost more than $5 million over the past month in his state, according to Daniel Manzo Maigari, Kaduna state agriculture commissioner.

Tomatoes are very much part of the Nigerian diet, and an important ingredient in many Nigerian dishes. Scarcity means many people can’t afford them.

Tomato farms in northwest and central Nigeria have been devastated. Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state in the north, said 80 percent of Kaduna’s tomato production has been hit by the disease. He declared a tomato state of emergency. Kaduna is the tomato capital of Nigeria, according to the U.N.

The pest has spread to six states.

The moth attacks the leaves of the tomato plant, and larvae feed voraciously on the plants, causing a 100 percent loss. No amount of spraying kills the larvae.

“You spray it, after about three hours, it comes back to life,” said Daniel Manzo Maigari, Kaduna state’s agriculture commissioner, NPR reported.

Some Nigerians call the pest “tomato Ebola.”

Many tomato sellers have resorted to buying the produce from neighbouring countries, such as Benin and Cameroon, in order to keep up with supply, TheNation reported.

Agriculture contributes 42.62 percent to Nigeria’s GDP and provides jobs for about 70 percent of the country’s 167 million people. Nigeria’s agricultural production could increase from the $99 billion in 2010 to $256 billion by 2030, according to the Alliance For Green Revolution in Africa,

The twittersphere exploded with tomato posts related to the tomato throwing festival, NPR reported. Nigerians with a sense of humor posted photos of La Tomatina. Other said “what a waste — send them to Nigeria.” Here are some of the tweets:

Nigerians Watching Spain Celebrating Tomato Throwing Festival,When four pieces of Tomatoes is N200 ($1 US) in Nigeria.

Imagine how much tomatoes over 20,000 people are going to be tomato fighting with meanwhile in Nigeria…….

Tomato Throwing Festival In Spain! Tomato is Priceless and Scarce In Nigeria!