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Rice sellers lament as price jumps higher

Despite the fact that the country boasts of being the second largest rice producing country, the price of the commodity has refused to drop. Thus, imposing great hardship on Nigerians. However, with Lagos and Kebbi states partnering in producing rice, and several other states too, one would have thought things would turn around for the better. But it seems traders have no access to the new brands of rice produced in their own country as they are nowhere to be found in most of the markets ENCOMIUM Weekly visited in Lagos.

Some traders and consumers we spoke to gave different accounts of the price of the commodity at the moment…

 

Ikey (Retail market, Ogba)

The cheapest price you can get a bag of rice now is N19,000. Brands like Cap rice, Stallion are the brands we sell for N19,000 because we actually buy them at  N18,300. Other brands that we buy at N20,000 are sold for N21,000.

 

Emma (Retail market, Ogba)

A bag of rice is now sold for N23,000. That is for those small rice known as (agric). But the long ones N19,000. The 25kg is N9,500 while 10kg is N3,800.

 

Simeon (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

Every brand of rice costs N18,500, except for the agric one which is the India rice which costs N23,000. The price is fixed but I can only reduce if the person is buying more than 1 bag of rice. Rice prices is reducing gradually, it used to N20,000.

 

Mum Faridah (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

We sell one plastic (5½ to 6 dericas) of rice, the small ones at N1,800 per plastic, while the big one can still be  sold for N1,500. But the small ones are N1,800 flat. We sell the derica, small ones at N350 and big ones at N300. It’s not the traders fault, small rice is really costly, a bag is N23,000.

 

FRIDAY (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

I don’t have the small rice now, I intentionally didn’t stock it because it’s too costly. The big ones that I have are Tomato brand, Cap rice, Masters, Stallion. They all cost N18,500.

Some of them can still be sold for N17,800 depending on the brand.

 

CHIDI (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

The price of rice is dropping gradually. A bag of rice now ranges between N19,000 to N18,000, depending on the brand. We still have those that are sold at N23,000. Those are the agric ones. So many people prefer the agric ones (small rice), but many who can’t afford it go for the big ones.

 

NNAMDI (Oke-Odo Market, Ile-Epo)

We sell a bag of rice for N18,000.All the brands we have now is sold for that price (N18,000). We don’t have agric rice in stock, it’s moving too well people buy more of the big ones.

 

ISAAC (Oke Odo Market, Ile – Epo)

A bag of rice costs N19,000.We have the ones of N20,000 too. But the cheapest you can get around is N18,500 flat.

 

MRS. SAHEED (Oju Irin Market, Agege)

I brought my rice at Isale Oja and I bought half bag for N8,400. There are brands sold for N22,000, some are N20,000, N19,000, N17,000. I bought the one of N17000 and begged the woman to sell half for me at N8,400 which she agreed.

 

MRS. ADEBISI (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

I bought a bag of rice at N18,300. The guy is my customer. I run a canteen business and I have been patronising him for a while now. The last time I bought it was last week, and he sold for me at N18,500 then.

 

SARAH (Oniwaya Market, Agege)

I bought a plastic (5½ to 6 dericas) for N1,500 last year November when I was going to school for N1,200.

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