Agboju Traders, Residents Lament Hike Prices of Food Items
The continuous hike in the prices of food items has caused low patronage in the market as traders in Lagos state lamented hyperinflation in major food commodities.
News correspondent who visited a popular Agboju Market in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos state gathered that the scarcity of farm products, high cost of petroleum products, hike in transportation, and lack of price control policies have contributed to the high cost of food items and low patronage in the market.
Kenneth Ogbonna, A foodstuff retailer when asked about the cost of some food items, he said: “For instance, 50kg of a bag of rice is sold N43,000 to N44,000 in the market. One paint rubber is N4000, half paint rubber is N2,000, and one Derica is N800.
” A bag of Oloyin or Honey beans as Nigerians we do call it is N68,000. That’s 50kg. One paint rubber is N4,000, Derica costs N800 in the market as at today.
“The 25 litres gallon of groundnut and vegetable oil sells for N28,000, 5 litres 6,000 and 1 litre is N1,000. A small bag of garri is N16,000, paint rubber is N1,000, Half paint N500, and Derica is N200.
“The prices of food commodities change day by day (going up).
“The market is also not moving faster than before. The customers we see, we try to persuade them to some of these products. The customers are also complaining the hike prices of the food items. Things are too cost and people are lamenting, both buyers and sellers.”
Another trader, Yemisi Yusuf, who sells pepper and tomato expressed: “One paint rubber of Tomato is N4,000 and the half paint is N2,000 in the market for now.”
Yusuf who is also yam seller in the Agboju Market disclosed further that a tuber of yam is N2,500 to N3,000, depending on the size and shape.
“The sales are not moving, customers are not coming to the market like before. We’ve enough farm products but no buyers,” she lamented.
Martins, a resident of Festac Town, said the high cost of food items is caused by many factors including insecurity. We’ve enough farmlands but our farmers can’t access it because of insecurity. Who will want him or herself to be kidnapped?”
He added that the Nigerian politicians are affecting the the masses. “We are importing country. There is a lot of money going out of the country. In Oil and Gas, we don’t export but import. The same thing in agriculture. We are rich, but we don’t manage our resources.”
A resident who pleaded anonymity said it was something that triggered the high prices of food items in the market. “As you can see, meet the market women and men ask for more about the situation in the market.” She added: “2023 will determine whether people are suffering or not if they don’t vote for the right candidate as things are costly which were not before.
“Food commodities have skyrocketed from beverages to noodles and seasoning. For foodstuffs. Meanwhile, someone must eat, especially those who have children who are at home.”
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She concluded: “The government should do something about the high cost of food commodities and insecurity in the country so that the farmers can access their farmlands.”
