NAIJ Weekly Price Check: Price of tomatoes crashes for the first time in weeks, check it out

– Nigerians continue to lament on the hike in cost of food items, transportation as well as other commodities needed for survival

– Buyers decried the present economic hardship in the country, as they complained of the high prices of essential goods and services

– A survey conducted by NAIJ.com at Alaba Suru market Phase 2, Lagos, reveals the high prices of commodities and low patronage experienced by sellers

The impact of the economic recession is being felt across all the segments of the population, as most Nigerians could hardly afford a nourishing meal.

Nigerians continue to lament on the hike in the cost of food items, transportation as well as other commodities needed for survival.

The high cost of kerosene, fuel and the ban on the importation of rice and other essential food items have all contributed to the present hardship.

The value of the naira has continued to shove against other international currencies due to high inflation while the prices of commodities are on a steady rise.

A survey conducted by NAIJ.com at Alaba Suru market Phase 2, reveals the high prices of essential goods and low patronage experienced by sellers. Sellers and buyers of goods at the market are lamenting the increase in the cost of items.

Buyers decried the present economic hardship in the country, as they complained of the high prices of essential goods and services.

Mrs Ebere, a trader who sell items like tomato paste, spaghetti, maggi and noodles, attributes the increase in the prices of goods and other items in the market to the present administration and import duties.

“Presently, the hike in prices of commodities is affecting the consumers lately. No customer. We just come, sit down and do nothing. Everything is dull. The market is dull. It is not moving like before. Before, I used to buy the carton of Gino round one N6, 400 but now but now I am buying it N7, 400.

“Then the medium size of Gino tomato paste, we used to buy it at N5, 400 but now is N7, 400. Then a carton of St. Rita tomato paste costs N7, 400 while the medium size costs N6, 400. But before, it was N5, 800. A carton of Knorr chicken before cost N5, 700 but now it costs N6, 600. Golden Penny spaghetti costs N3, 200 but now it is N3, 500.

“Generally, things are getting more expensive by the day. Things used to be cheaper than this before, but now things have changed. When you buy costly, you sell costly. Everything is in the hands of government; the cost of importation is too high, which made the goods more expensive lately. All these items are imported but even the ones they produce in Nigeria are more expensive compared to the ones they import,” she explained.

The price of fish has increased greatly as observed in the market. A carton of fish now costs about N15, 000-N30, 000 as against its old price from N7,000- 15,000.

A fish seller in the market, Iya Iyabo blames this development on the present administration and import duties.

According to her, the present administration’s ‘Change’ agenda and the restriction placed on importation is affecting the availability of the commodity.

She said: “People are managing to sell. They do not make profit as usual. The government should make a move. A carton of Titus fish is 30, 000 but before it cost N12, 000. A carton of Kote fish was N8, 000 but now, it costs N15, 000 now while a carton of croaker fish is N25, 000. Some traders have stopped selling fish because they do not want to incur debts again. At times, we buy and do not make sales in return. This is affecting us greatly. We do not make profit at all.

“The suffering is too much. This is what the present administration has turned us into. People are hungry. Here in the market, the food sellers when they lock their shops, they find it open when they return the next day because some people go to steal their food. There is hunger in the land.”

Similarly, a tomato seller identified as Mama Iyabo, says the prices of the perishable goods is at a minimal level, adding that the goods are affordable depending on the purchase rate but the patronage is low.

“The fresher the tomato, the more costly it becomes. The basket of Cameroun tomato now costs N12,000 but before it was N8,000 upward. For pepper, they first buy the bag and then pour in basket. So if you buy two small bags of pepper, you can get a full big basket. And the price of pepper ranges from N3, 000 to N7, 000; depending on the size of the bag and the type. So you can get a basket of pepper from N7, 000 and above.

“For tatase (pepper), a basket costs N6, 000. And you can also get it for N4, 000 as well. Things are not as expensive as it seems here, but if we buy it at a cheaper rate, we will sell at an affordable price too. All in all, the patronage is low. Also the construction of the new shops has led to this,” the trader groaned.

A trader who gave his name as AbdulAmin said the reason why prices of goods were high was because of the economic situation of the country and high cost of transportation of goods from the north to the market here in Lagos.

“Presently, perishable goods are available and affordable in the market, but the cost of transportation makes it very expensive sometimes. Right now, a bag of new onion costs N25, 000 but before it was N18, 000, while a bag of old onion costs N35, 000 as against the N28, 000 it was sold before. A bag of dry pepper (new one) costs N30, 000 now but before it was sold for N15,000,” Abdulamin said.

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