Price Of Sugar Soar In Calabar
Price of sugar, one of the essential commodities in Nigeria, has continued to rise in Calabar city, the capital of Cross River.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the price of the commodity had been on a steady increase since December 2010.
A recent NAN survey however revealed that a bag of the Dangote brand of sugar, which was sold for between N8,000 and N9,000 before the Christmas period, now sells for N12,000.
Another brand known as Brazil also sells for N12,000, while a carton of St. Louis sugar which was sold for between N7,000 and N8,000 now go for between N9,000 and N10,000.
For those who purchase the commodity in small retail quantities, three cubes of sugar are now being sold for N10 while five cubes go for N20 at shops in Calabar.
Some of the retailers who spoke with NAN on the issue expressed dismay at the rising cost of sugar in the city.
Mr. Chinedu Nzomiwu, a dealer in Dangote sugar and other brands of the commodity, said that the cause of the increase could not be explained at the moment.
“Well, I don’t know the reason for the increase because it is from the manufacturers.
“Each time we go to Lagos, we are told that the price has gone up at the factory, and we have no option than to buy the goods,†he said.
Mr. Asuquo Edet, another dealer, however said the increase in the prices of essential commodities was not unexpected at this time of the year.
“Honestly, there is nothing wrong with the increase in price of sugar at this time of the year. But the problem is whether it will ever come down again,†he said.
A consumer, Mr. Linus Okon, lamented the situation and called on the manufacturers to take into consideration the situation of poor consumers.
“I advise the manufacturers to always consider the poor consumers instead of always thinking of the profit they are going to make,†he said.
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