Yinka Shokunbi Lagos
It’s been a week since the end of fast and Moslems all over the world celebrated RAMADAN, EID-AL-FITR but consumers of essential foodstuffs are still groaning over the hike in prices which are yet to really come down.
Mile 12 market
For instance during the period of the fast, trader blamed the high cost of foodstuffs on the inability of the long distance drivers in travelling at the pace they used to go as they get exhausted easily; coupled with persisting fuel crises.
A visit by Consumer Watch Correspondent to the major international foodstuff and commodity market in Lagos, Mile 12 in Kosofe Local government Area of Lagos State during the week confirmed some of the fears expressed by some traders and consumers in other markets that prices of commodities are yet to stabilise.
Although, there was noticeably a slight improvement in the sizes and quality of the tomatoes and peppers for sale from what they were previously, but the cost of the items was still exorbitant and consumers were seen walking around the array of baskets haggling for best buys.
A large basket of tomatoes which was sold for between N10, 000 and N15, 000 depending on the size of the vegetable, still dangles between N9, 500 and N15, 000 depending also on the bargaining power of the buyer.
The medium size basket of tomatoes last Wednesday, went for between N5, 000 and N7, 500 while the small sized baskets was sold for N 4,000 minimum.
Baskets of onions and peppers were equally priced highly with the exception of mudus of dried pepper which consumers were opting for as alternatives to the fresh baskets of the vegetables.
Other foodstuffs which prices remain unstable include polished rice which traders lament have become “essential commodity” due to recent government’s decision not to grant forex to importers; red and brown beans, frozen chicken and fish as well as canned foods and beverages.
A kilogram of frozen chicken which hitherto sold for between N500 and N600 now sells for N1000 a kilogram and a kilogram of fish sells between N600 and N750 depending on bargaining power.
Alhaja Tawa Ishola a frozen food trader at Mile 12 told Consumer Watch, “We now struggle to get foreign exchange rate from the black market to make our purchases from Cotonou; which is why prices are still unstable”.
However locally breed chicken and cockerel are still affordable at prices ranging from N1, 500 to N2, 000 while prices of home breed cat fish is also affordable “but many people especially the elderly are avoiding cat fish unless it is smoked due to the high fat content”, says, Mr. Femi Alake, a fish farmer at Opic, Iseri, Ogun State.
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