Prices of staple food stuff soar high in FCT markets — Survey

Investigation by our Correspondents have shown that prices of food items have continued to increase in major markets in Abuja.

A market survey conducted in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some satellite towns in Abuja on Wednesday by our Correspondent revealed an increase in prices of most staple foods.

Our Correspondents correspondents visited major markets in the FCT, Gwagwalada, Byazhin in Kubwa and Gosa markets.

A beans trader in Gwagwalada market, Mr Okechukwu Okoli, said that a mudu of white beans goes for N600, while the brown beans goes for N700 as against N350 and N450 as at February.

He said that a bag of beans previously sold for N40,000 was presently being sold for N55,000.

Okoli attributed the price increase to the high cost of transportation and the security challenge.

Another trader who also sells beans at the Byazhin market, Amaka Okpe said that beans was another staple food that had gradually increased in price since January.

“Last year, the price of beans was stable. We sold a mudu of brown beans for N350 and white beans for N300.

“But since January, a mudu of brown beans was sold for N600 in January and presently for N800.

“Likewise, a mudu of white beans was sold for N550 in January and is now being sold for N700,’’ she said.

A garri seller in Gwagwalada market Mrs Grace Enitosa said that the price of garri varies, owing to the different types in the market such as the Gwari, Ijebu and Bendel garri.

Enitosa said that a mudu was now being sold for N400, N500, and N450 respectively as against its former price of N300, N330 and N350 that it was sold in February.

According to her, it sold for N200, N250 and N300 respectively in 2020.

“The current price for a bag of Bendel N28,000, Gwari N26,000 and Ijebu N25,000.

“This is in contrast to its price in February which was N23,000 for Bendel, N22,000 for Gwari, N18,000 for ijebu, as against its price in 2020 which were N16,000 Gwari, N13,000 Ijebu and N18,000 for Bendel,” she said.

Another garri seller, Mrs Joy Abiodun who sells at the Byazhin market said that the price of garri had gradually been on the increase since January

“We used to buy a bag of yellow garri for N18,000 in January, and white garri for N16,000, but now, we buy a bag of yellow garri for N25,000 and white garri for N22,000.

“A mudu of yellow garri is sold for N500, and white garri for N450 currently, as against N400 and N350 hat it was sold in January,” she said.

Enitosa, who also sells maize said that the price of maize per mudu was now N300 as against its former price of N120 in 2020.

She said that a bag of maize now goes for N21,000 as against its former price of N15,000 and N10,000 respectively as at three months ago and in 2020.

Malam Ibrahim karrem, another a maize trader at the Gosa market said a mudu of maize was sold for N150 in 2020 and in February, it sold for N250, but was currently being sold for between N700 and N750.

Karrem attributed the increase in price to the onset of the planting season.

Mr Audu Mama, a tomatoes seller at the Gosa market said the price of tomatoes varies as it was determined by the season.

“Tomatoes is perishable goods and the cost of transportation is a major cause of its price increase,” he said.

Another tomatoes seller, Malam Kabiru Abdulrasheed, said that the rainy season had also contributed tremendously to increase in the price of tomatoes.

According to him, tomatoes are usually expensive during the rainy season and cheap during the dry season.

“A basket of tomatoes was sold for N3,500 in January but now it is being sold for N10,000 and this is because of the onset of the rains,’’ he said.

A yam seller at Gwalagwada market said that five tubers of yam were presently being sold at N3,000 as against N2,000 it was being sold in February.

“The increase is as a result of attack by herdsmen as people are afraid to go to their farm lands and harvest their crops,” she said.

On rice, Musa Suleiman, a rice seller at the Gwagwalada market, said the price for foreign rice had decreased, while the price of local rice increased as people now purchase more of the latter.

Suleiman said the price for local rice was presently being sold at N850 per mudu as against its price of N600 in February and N500 in 2020.

He said that foreign rice now goes for N1,000 per mudu as against N1,200 in February and N800 in 2020.

He said that the price for a bag of foreign rice had been stable this year, as it was being sold for N30,000 as against the N31,000 in 2020.

According to him, the price of local now sells at N43,000, compared to N39,000 in February and N35,000 in 2020.

Mrs Blessing Titus, a rice trader in Gosa market said a bag of rice was sold for N40,000 in 2020 and a mudu for N300 to N400, and at present, a bag goes for N45,000 and a mudu for N650 to N700.

She also said a mudu of ground nut was previously sold for N350, and now goes for N750.

Suleiman, who also sells millet, said that the prices had also increased as a result of the Ramadan.

He said the price of millet per mudu presently was ¦ 350, while the price of a bag was N20,000 in contrast to N18,000 it was sold in 2020.

Malam Ibrahim karrem, who also sells millet in Gosa market said a bag of millet costs N18,000 as at 2020 and a mudu for N250, while at present its being sold for N20,000 and a mudu N300 to N350.

He explained that the high cost was as a result of the insecurity being faced by farmers.

Abdulahi Uma’r, a beef seller at the Byazhin market said that the price of beef has increased as a result of shortage in the supply of cow.

“A kilo of beef was sold for between N1,600 or N1,700 in January, but now, a kilo of beef is sold for N2,000.

“Last year, we sold a kilo of beef for N1,200 but now, sometimes we don’t even see enough to buy,” he said.