Yuletide: Lagos Traders Blame Higher Food Price On Cost Of Transportation

One week to Christmas, prices of some food items have gone up in Lagos markets, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Checks by NAN correspondents in Lagos on Monday showed that prices of major food items are on the rise, eight days to Christmas.

The checks cut across markets in Iyana Ipaja, Mushin, Oshodi, Ketu and Oyingbo.

Mr. Uche Eze, who deals in rice, beans and garri at Oshodi, said that the price of grains generally had gone up.

“A bag of Mama Gold brand of rice has gone up to N9, 500 from N9, 200 a month ago.

“A pack of Golden Penny brand of rice is now N9, 000 from N8, 500 in October.

“One big bag of garri is now N8,500 from N7, 300, while a small bag now sells for N3,400 from N3,000 earlier,” he said.

A pepper seller at Iyana Ipaja, who simply identified herself as Mama Lukuman, told NAN that a basket of pepper which was N4,000 a month ago, was now N6, 000.

She said that the price increase was due to the impending dry season and rising cost of transportation.

“What we pay for transportation is now dictated by the commercial bus drivers, who have difficulties in buying petrol, “ she said.

Mrs. Ganiyat Baruwa, an onion seller at the Ketu Fruit Market, said that the price of a bag of onions which was N12, 000 in December last year, had gone up to N18, 000.

She said that the astronomical hike in the price of a bag of onions was an indication of declining standard of living of the common man.

Malam Issa Yakubu, a yam seller at Oyingbo, said that fewer number of Nigerians would eat yam and associated meals this Yuletide.

“A big tuber now sells for between N550 and N600 from N450 in November, while a medium size one is now N400 from N300.

“There is no tuber size that customers can buy below N250, “ he said.

He urged the state government to provide palliatives to cushion the impact of rising cost of living.

Mrs. Rebecca Balogun, the leader of market women in Iyana Ipaja, told NAN that the rising cost of transportation would naturally result in increased prices of food items.

According to her, food items like onions, tomatoes, groundnut oil, rice, dairy products and all sorts of meat items are likely to cost more as Christmas approaches.

“Government needs to ensure that it manages the fuel scarcity situation to reduce the cost of transporting our food items, “ she said.

Mr. Shehu Usman, the Financial Secretary, Arewa Perishable Food Stuff Association at Mile 12, said that the price of food items would naturally be higher during the Yuletide.

He, however, said that the current high prices would come down in February, explaining that “it is the tradition for prices to go up during festivals.“

Mr. Abdul Mohammed, the General Secretary of the association, told NAN that there was a general decline in demand for food items.

According to him, people are likely to start trooping to the markets to buy food items as Christmas draws closer.

Mrs. Toyin Oluwaga, a Lagos resident, told NAN that a basket of tomatoes which she bought at N6, 000 in November was now being sold for N7, 500.

“People are complaining about not having enough money to stock their homes with food stuffs,“ she said.

Miss Tinuke Fesojaiye, an applicant, advised all the tiers of government to create avenues for farmers’ co-operatives to make food available.

“If government invests more in agriculture, unemployment in our country will drop, “ she said.