Traders, consumers lament as prices of foodstuffs soar in South East

Barely six weeks to the yuletide, prices of some foodstuffs, particularly rice, garri, palm oil and crayfish have soared in major markets in the South east.

NAN correspondents, who conducted market surveys in the zone report that the prices of foodstuffs have increased significantly between September and November, 2022.

In enugu State, a 50kg of local rice now goes for between N34,000 and N42,000 as against between N24,000 and N36,000 sold in October while 50kg of foreign rice goes for N54,000 as against N37,000 sold a month ago.

a visit to some markets in the state capital showed that a 4.5 liter paint bucket of local rice sold for N2, 600 in September now goes for between N2, 800 and N3, 500.

a rice dealer at Ogbete Market, Onyinye emejue, said that the price of rice had remained high for some time, blaming it on the high cost of transportation and other farm inputs involved in rice farming.

“I am a rice farmer, it costs me so much in cultivating, harvesting and processing as well as the transportation fare from awgu to enugu town,” she said.

Chinwe Okoh, a palm oil seller at New Market, said that the cost of transportation and off-season of most agricultural produce had been the reason for high cost of most foodstuffs in the city,

according to her, the price of palm oil is gradually rising due to its offseason period that usually take place toward the end of the year.

She said that a gallon now goes for N6,000 as against, N3,250 in September while 70cl bottle of the product now goes for between N900 and N1,000 as against N650.

at the New Market, Uche Ogbodo, a crayfish dealer, said the price of crafish had soared compared to what it was some months back, blaming the high cost of the product to the flood that ravaged most of the areas that produced it.

Helen Obi, another crayfish seller at Kenyatta Market, said that a painter of crayfish now sold for N3,800 as against N2,800.

She added that a bag of crayfish goes for N98,000 as against N85,000 in September.

Joy aku, a dealer in vegetable oil at Garki Market said that the five litres of the product had increased from N7,000 to N8,500, while the 20 litres goes for between N28,500 and N32,000 depending on its brand.

rose Onyeabor, an onion seller at the New Garki Market, said that a bag of onions is sold at N52,000 as against N48,500.

Meanwhile, an ice fish seller at Ogbete main market, regina Odo, said the inflation was worse in fish sector making it difficult for people to balance their diet.

She said that ice fish, which people believed was meant for both the rich and the poor was now considered luxury. Odo said that one fish was sold between N800 and N2500 depending on the size.

She wondered how the low income earners and the poor survived in this present economic difficulty which she added was not improving any time soon.

In Imo, it is a similar situation as prices of many food items including rice, tomatoes, Onions and yams have remained high in most markets in Owerri, amidst the increased price of petrol.

at the relief Market, eke Onunwa and New Markets, the price of rice, both Nigerian and foreign brands have remained high since late September.

a 50 kilogram bag of foreign rice is currently sold between N50,000 and N53,000 depending on the brand and N45,000 for locally grown rice.

a 25kg bag of foreign rice is sold at N27,000 while local rice is sold from N24,000 in October to N35,000 for 50kg.

Fresh tomatoes still goes for N3,000 for a small bucket popularly known as “custard ” while quantities previously sold for N700 now goes for N1500. NAN