Encomium
ENCOMIUM Weekly’s finding has revealed that food items ranging from beans, rice, meat, chicken and a host of others are not immune to the escalating prices. Between January and February alone, out of 10 items namely beverage, beans, rice, meat, garri, chicken, yam, semo, palm oil, ground oil, milk, the average price of four items remained unchanged, while the remaining items saw either a decrease or an increase in prices. Market operators and buyers are feeling the effect of the volatile prices.
Christmas and New Year festivities have been fingered as reasons for hike in prices. The forthcoming elections is another factor that has contributed to skyrocketing price. A lot of Nigerians who stock their homes with staple food items during the festive season and ahead of elections are enjoying less of the volatile prices.
ENCOMIUM Weekly sampled the opinions of market women and shop owners about these…
MRS. AKINTOBA BUKOLA, foodseller
What is your opinion about the prices of food between January and February?
Prices of things are not yet stable. For instance, 10kg of Semolina was sold for N2,100 in January, till now. Some people still sell it for N2,000, while some sell for N1,900. Other goods have not reduced as well.
MRS. IBRAHIM, foodseller
What is your opinion about the prices of food between January and February?
I sell spaghetti, tomato paste and semovita. Golden Penny semovita of 10kg goes for N1,700. There was a time we sold for N1,300-N1,600. A carton of spaghetti goes for N2,100. We sold for N2,000, N2,050 last year.
EMEKA OKONKWO, supermarket owner
What is your opinion about the prices of food between January and February?
Prices of commodities have gone up a bit. You cannot compare the price you purchased an item two days ago to today. A pack of Lux toilet soap was sold for N300, it is now N350. Milo was sold for N250, it is now N280, N270, while the big refill pack goes for N600 instead of N500.
MAMA EBUKA, market woman
What is your opinion about the prices of food between January and February?
There is a bit of reduction in the prices of some items. A five litre Kings groundnut oil was sold for N1,500, 1,600. As at December last year, it was N1,700 while Wesson oil is sold for N2,600. It was N2,800 before now.
MAMA SEUN, fish seller
What is your opinion about the prices of food between January and February?
A carton of shawa fish was sold for N3,500. The price has gone up to N5,800. Titus is still the same, depending on the size. We buy a carton for N13,000, N7,000. Prices have not really gone down.
…Housewives react
MRS. LAWAL AMOPE
Prices are on the high side. There is nothing that has not gone up. I used to buy tomato paste for N50, you cannot get it at that price again. There is no increment in the prices of some items but their quantity has reduced.
For instance, fresh vegetable, okro, ewedu prices are still the same but there is a drastic reduction in the quantity.
MRS. SERIKI TOYIN
Prices are not yet stable. If you go to the market today, by the time you go back again, the price would have jacked up. I went to the market to buy provision for my son last week. The prices were okay, but by the time I went back on Monday (February 9), I couldn’t believe it. I had to leave my customer’s shop to price those items elsewhere just to be sure they don’t intend to cheat me.
MRS. SAIDAT ABULRAMAN
We cannot compare the prices of foodstuff now to what it was a month ago, even a week ago. I bought a derika of beans for N150, last week, it was sold for N170 sometime back.
MRS. MOPE ADEBANJO
Prices are not stable, though they are better than last December. Rice was on the high side, but it is now back to normal. I bought a bag of rice last week at N9,000. Some sell for N8,500 depending on the brand.
Beans is also going back to normal. It was sold for N1,100 last week.
MRS. OLUSHOLA TINUOLA
I buy things in bulk. I did a major shopping in January. I noticed that prices have dropped compared to what it was last December. But some are still on the high side.
-SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN
