Essential Ndubuisi
By Blessing Uchendu
At a period when people, especially low income earners are struggling with the harsh Nigerian economic realities, prices of most staple foods in the market seem to have added to the hardship after witnessing speedy hike since after Christmas.
The mood at both Eke Awka and Amaenyi Markets, the two popular foods markets in the city, did not tell the story of comfort and satisfaction as both sellers and buyers have placed more thoughts on their respective economic difficulties.
A recent market survey carried out by the ABS observed that staple food prices have either doubled or tripled way above their prices before last year’s Christmas and this year’s New Year festivities
Some staple foods have recorded marginal increase in prices as a bag of beans of different varieties is currently sold for forty-two to forty-five thousand as against its previous cost of thirty to thirty-five thousand, while a paint bucket-size beans is now one thousand five hundred to one thousand seven hundred as against the old price of eight hundred to one thousand naira, and a cup of beans which was sold at fifty to sixty naira now sells at eighty to ninety naira, depending on the variety.
Similarly, a paint bucket-size measure of garri is sold at one thousand one hundred naira as against the old price of eight hundred naira, while tuber of yam from brought down from northern Nigeria is sold between six hundred and one thousand five hundred naira, depending on the size.
However, a bag of semolina that was sold for three thousand four hundred before is now three thousand six hundred and three thousand eight hundred, just as a bag of local rice is now thirteen thousand as against a bag of foreign rice that sold for between twenty nine thousand to thirty two thousand during yuletide but has reduced a little now to twenty-two to twenty eight thousand depending on the variety.
However, fresh tomatoes and fresh pepper have recorded cost reduction as a basket of fresh tomatoes sold at twenty eight to thirty five thousand before is now selling at six to ten thousand depending on the basket size, and a paint bucket measure goes to eight hundred to one thousand as against two thousand five hundred to three thousand, while a basket of pepper is now ten thousand naira.
Speaking on the development, some of the traders including Ikenna Ezeibe, Blessing Chigozie, Blessing Osita, Anulika Eneanya and Blessing Okoye, linked the increase to the current economic situation in the country which has left prices high, calling on the government to equip the farmers for mass production and as well look into the killing of farmers by herdsmen.
Some of the buyers who spoke to the ABS, lamented how the high increase of staple foods affects them and called on the relevant authorities to urgently find lasting solution to the nation’s economic situation.
