Irregularities in food prices continue

Prices of foodstuff and other commodities still remain irregular in most markets, probably because of the constant security challenges facing the northern part of the country, among other factors. Reports TONIA ‘DIYAN

Irregularities in food prices have prevented traders and consumers from buying what they want. While some traders ascribe the irregularities to security challenges, other blame it on other factors, such as high cost of transporting goods from the north,

A visit to some markets in Lagos and a survey on other major markets has shown that prices of commodities have been irregular since December during the Christmas celebrations. Some items are still sold twice their usual prices. Initially, though prices always return to normal after festivities, the reverse is the case.

Various categories of eateries and canteens are now encouraged to increase how much they sell their meals. A food vendor, Mrs Kelechi Ugbona, said things are no longer the way they were last year because according to her, the quantity of beans she bought for N400 three months ago, now sells for between N900 and N1,200.

She added that foodstuffs have now become very expensive, and that they have become three times the prices they used to be at the last year. She attributed the hike to high cost of transportation and said “some traders whom I patronise told me they sell to make profit and so, they include the transportation fare with the prices.

Beans has been the most expensive and customers have not stopped lamenting due to its unstable price-especially those brought from the northern part of the country. Mrs Adenike Taiwo, who sells beans in small and large quantities, complained that a bag of beans which used to cost N14, 000 four months ago is now N20, 000.

“I know the beans hike has to do with the crisis in the north. Tomorrow its price might reduce lower than what it used to be. For now it’s just here and there, sometimes traders are tired to purchase because we are not sure of how much we are taking with us’’ she said.

A trader, Mr Kingsley Maduka attributed it to the late last year flood in most of the northern states where food items are transported from.

“The Bornu, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kano flood in November caused havoc in the north and farmlands were washed away. Only those who could save some crops increased the prices to make up for their investments,” he said.

A wheelbarrow of yam is between N8,000 and N15, 000. It hasn’t been stable after Christmas. Rice fluctuates between N7, 300 and N10, 000 per bag.

The Secretary of the Mile-12 food stuff market, Alhaji Muhammed Abdul said the past flood is a reason for the rise and fluctuation in prices. “Some people planted and couldn’t harvest. Like, in my village in the North, flood washed away everything including maize. Any water above the knee can automatically wash away the crops. The farmers lose millions of Naira. It’s just like when a river overflows. When the flood came, it overflew all the crops and we didn’t find anything to harvest.”

Survey shows that the price of garri, which is regarded as a common staple food among low income earners has also being irregular, jumping to N280, sometimes N300 for a brand while another brand sells for between N200 and N230. Yam flour now goes for between N750 and N800 at times, while those mixed with cassava are between N500 and N600.

According to traders the prevailing security challenges facing some part of the Northern states has prevented many of them from travelling to states like Borno, Sokoto, Yobe , as well as Chad and Niger Republic, where most of the commodities are available to be purchased at affordable prices.

A yam seller, Mr Bala Usman told The Nation Shopping that the country is no longer safe for traders who travel to the North to get these foodstuffs cheap, so that they can also sell them cheap to consumers. “The yam you see here are costly; it is not our fault we also have to sell to make profits. We are afraid to travel to our home towns” he said

A retailer, Mr Franklin Idumebor said: “Food stuffs are now very expensive. It keeps rising and I wonder when it will ever fall, we sell according to how we buy.”

The price of onions has remained relatively stable. A bag sells for between N5,000 and N6,500; a small bag of 50kg costs between N2,500 and N3,000. Half sack sells for between N3,000 to N4,000. Last month, it was from N6,000 to N7,000.