SATURDAY Vanguard. OCTOBER 20, 2012- 13
Saturday Cover the roads. They wen: nol tarred but only graded," Ahmed said. TIle lony d.ri~ who declined to disclose the cost of a lony load of onions, predJcted hardship, adding that Nigeria will only have to depend on neighbouring country as Niger for .!lome of these products . MlKiam Nwankwowbotrades on gallons of palm and groundnut oil, said that a 25 litre of palm oil which sells for NS,500 to N5,800 is currently sold at be--
BYCHAR1.ES
ADINGUPU
BARELY
three weeks ago whe:n wild flood ravaged som@states in Nigeria, prices of staph! food items as garri, rice. beans and yam are beginning to soar high.. A random survey conducted by
Saturday Vanguard at the popular MUe 12 market in lagos, shows that the sudden increase in prices of these essen· tial food items is predicated mainJy on the recent flood wbich rendered millions orNigeriBns homeless and de-
tween N7 ,000 and N7 ,300. "Il is not oruy oil thai has suf-
fered sudden increase in price. This is suppose to be a .!Ieason
stroyed many farmlands across the nation. A staple food dealer at the popular Mile 12 market, Mrs. Augusta Nwabudikesaid that within 6 span of two weeks most 01 the ~sential food
Items had witnessed sharp increase price. According to her, 'Yellow'
gam which is common with people from the Niger Dell... region in the near past wu
sold for N6,500 4 bag but today it goes for N9,OOO. Conversely, the white garri otherwue known as "Ijehu" gam was sold for NS.500 a bag but
the recent price is N8,OOO. A bucket of 'Yellow' gam was sold at N350 but it sells now for N4.S0 to NSOO. The white gam, a bucket previously cost NJOO but it is currenUy sells for between N400 and N4.S0. Another staple lood dealer at the Mile 12 market who gave ber name simply as Dorathy, blamed the sudden jerk cur· rently being ezperienced in these staple food. on the surg· Lng nood which threatened the extinction of most states across the state. The increase in price in gar· ri which is an essential food. in virtually every family household just started only this week. J went to buy from the travellers bringing garri and we were told that the price is no more the same, " Dorathy said . Mrs. Nwabudike also disclosed tbat a bag of beans which ordinarily goes for be-tween N6,SOO to N7 ,DOD is now N14,OOO. "Just about few weeks ago, we sold a paint bucket of beans "Oloyin" brand goes for N180, but it is now Nl,600 a bucket while the other lower brand otherwise known as "Ololu" sells for N750, but it's now Nl,5oo. A cup of beans commonly referred to as Delrica is now N2S0. There are indications that the price may go up further," Mrs Nwabudike said. Another essential staple food virtulll.ly In every family menu, rice. Dorathy said has equally experienced slight increase in price... "Rice is yet to elfect increase in price a.!l .!Iuch. The cheap one is the Agric rice which is
Up! Up!! goes price of staple food items "
N7,500 a bag but not good enough. Although, it was sold at N6,7oo in the near palIt. "Also other brands of rice still maintain a price range of NS,OOO and some hundreds of naira but the most preferred and better brand of rice is the Mama Gold and Royal Umbrdla which were sold al a price range of N9,280 but its current price is NlO,OOO.
A bucket of rice goes for J-\between N700 and N750 depending on the brand, ~ Do· rathy further disclosed . Yet another trader. Isa, wbo deals on Onions, lrisb potatoes and salad condiments told the Vanguard that onions Is the most affected of his sales. "Just few weeks ago, we bought a bag of onlon.!l for N6,OOO, to N6,SOO. But today.
The increase in price of garri which isan essential food In virtually every family household just started only this week. I went to buy from the travellers bringing garri and we were told that the price is no more the same
Yellow gam (bag) While garri {Ijehu) A Basket of garn {Yellowl A Basket of White garri A bag of beans A bucket of beans (Olorinl A bucket of Olotu beans A bag of Mama Gold rice A bag of Royal Umbrcl.la rice A bag of Agric rice A bag of Onions A 2S litres gallon of oil A tuba of New yam A carton of Super Pack lndomie A carton of smaLllndomie Acmon 01 Golden Penny Spag
,
N6,500 N5,500 N3.SOO NJOO N7.DO N6,500 N600 N500
N9,OO N9,OOO N6,700 N6.500 NS,800 N1DO Nl,700 Nl,200 Nl,900
N9,OOO NS,OOO NS,OOO N.50 NI4.,OOO NI,600 NI,SOO NIO,OOO NlO,OOO N7.500 N'l5.000
NN7.JOO N200
N1.050 Nl,300 N2,lOO
a bag of onions is now N2S,OOO. Now teU me how I can seU it to maximise profit because people can .!!till prepare their meals without onIons, !sa lamented. A lorry drIver, named Ahmed whose main pre-occupation is to convey fresh tomatoes, pepper and onions from up north of Nigeria to Lagos, blamed the astronomical increase in prices of these essential food items on the Qood. Ahmed the driver warned that tbe situaUon may even deteriorate beyond what Nigerians are conenlly experienc. Ing because the (lood truly uprooted a 101 01 farm produce.. "What we are currentlybring109 i.ri were reserved, stored . I feared that when we e:rl1aust these reserves, what happens? There won't be any replenishment because water has taken aver the farmland . Besides. getting to the inlerland to get these products have become a herculean task because water bas invarlablywll.!lhed away most of
of new yam. In other words, yam would be in abundance. Initially, in a season liIr:e this, you can get a rea.!lonable proportion tube size 01 yam at NlOO, thlsi.!l newyam. This will serve for a meal in a lamily of five. But today. such tubaofyam now goes (or N250 to N3OO, ~ Madam Nwankwo said. oUaborating her claim, Iya Oloja who sells yam at the Mile 12 market said thai five tuba of yams were sold al Nl,200to N1.15Obut today, the .!lame proportion of yam is now N2,OOO and above depending on the speele5 "Nobody will seU yam tuba at NlOO except if the lrader stole the yam. There is nothing lilte New ya. Although, the old yam are still more expensive. The dealer told us that water has carried their farmland . We. too,
C
are in business 10 survive.. Next
year may be worse. - Iya Oloja said . Mrs. Nwabudlkesaid thallhe .!Iharp prices in these staple food ha.!l impacted on noodles as well. She disclosed thai a carton of Indomie super pack which initlal.lygoes for NI,750 is rurrenUybeing sold at N2,OSO and N3,OOO respectively Golden Penny Spaghelti which contains 20 pieces in a carton was initially sold at Nt,900 but today IS N2,l00. Similarly, a small mdomie carton was previously sold at Nl,2oobulll 15 now NI,300," she said. Mrs . Nwabudllte however, pointed out that prices of noodles may even go further higber, when it will be revealed neIl year thai these essential food items will nol be reached. The price of items al a glance.