Yobe experience rise in prices of grains

Prices of grains have increased at Potiskum Grains Market in Yobe, newsmen reports.

A correspondent, who went round the market on Monday, observed the increase in the prices of grains such as beans, rice, maize, sorghum and guinea corn.

Reports state that a bag of red beans sold at N30,000 three weeks ago, now sells between N35,000 and N36,000, while a big measure of red beans that costs N900 three weeks ago now goes for N1, 000.

Similarly, a 100kg bag of local rice that was sold for between N34,000 and N35,000 three weeks ago now goes for N38,000, while a measure of the rice that went for between N900 and N1,000 in the same period, is now selling for N1,100.

A bag of maize that went for between 14,000 and N15, 000 three weeks ago, now sells between N18, 500 and N19, 000, while a measure that went for N400 three weeks ago is now going for N500.

A bag of sorghum, which was selling for between N13, 000 and N14, 000 in the same period, now goes for between N16, 500 and N17, 000, while a measure of the commodity goes for N500 as against N400 sold three weeks ago.

Also, a bag of guinea corn now goes for N18, 500 as against between N15, 000 and N16, 000 sold three weeks ago, while a measure of guinea corn that was between N350 and N400  now goes for N500.

Alhaji Abdullahi Garundaye, the Secretary, Grains Merchants Association in the market, attributed the increase in prices to shortage of grains in the market due mostly to security issues.

“Last year, many farmers did not grow crops in some parts of Borno as a result of incessant attacks by gunmen.

“The few goods you are seeing in the market are those produced in Potiskum and other local government areas in Yobe that are safe to cultivate crops,” he said.