Some Lagos State residents have reiterated the stability of foodstuffs prices in spite of the ongoing Ramadan, aside from beans.
Residents revealed this in in Lagos. Some of the residents noted that unlike the previous Ramadan period where the prices of foodstuffs increased, this year seems to be different.
Mr Samuel Nwabueze, a foodstuff trader at Iyana-ipaja market, said the price of foodstuff items were stable apart from the sudden increase in the price of beans.
“Apart from beans and other produce that come from the North, the price of food stuff has been considerably stable. Other staples like rice, garri, onions, and corn are still within the same price ranges since the beginning of the year. There is more or less like a 10 per cent increase in the price of beans since the Ramadan started”.
“As of last month, we were still buying a 50kg bag of beans at N60,000 but currently the same quantity sells between N70,000 to N75,000.
“Even the price of dried pepper from the North has risen above what we used to buy. Last month, we bought a bag of dried pepper at N100,000 but now it sells at N120,000.
“The same thing goes for egusi, it is now expensive. A bag used to sell for N250,000 but now sells at N300,000.
“What we have observed is that this hike came about when the Ramadan began. We believe the price will drop after the Ramadan period ,” Nwabueze said.
On her part, Mrs Miracle Akuoma, a resident at Alimosho area of the state, expressed happiness at the stability of food prices this season as she urged the government to continue with the trend.
“In recent years, this is the cheapest we have bought food items during the Ramadan period. Even fruits and vegetables that are usually expensive at this period are really very affordable.
“I don’t know what the government is doing to stabilise food prices at this time but they should continue because it benefits the masses.
“Even the price of corn has dropped, I bought a paint bucket at the rate of N1,200 as against N2,000 or N2,500 we used to buy. I think the prices of food items are considerably fair this period,” Akuoma said.
Also, Mrs Cornelia Eshomameh, a resident at Ketu/Alapere area of the state, said aside from a slight hike in the cost of tomatoes, peppers and beans, other foodstuff price remained stable.
“Compared to last month when the Ramadan and Lenten period began, there have been no considerable differences in the price of food stuff compared to previous years.
“The price of rice and beans still remains the same as of last month. The only difference in price was a slight hike in the price of tomatoes and pepper but too much.
“Last month, I bought three plastic paints of tomatoes for N5,000 but just yesterday I could only buy two paints of tomatoes for N6,000. That was the only difference in the price but as regards every other thing I bought, the prices remained stable. I even bought a basket of onions for N5,000, a very fair price I must say,” Eshomameh said.
Another resident in the Dopemu area of the state, Mrs Tope Babalola, said the major price hike is in the beans. For now, the price of beans is in the increase but I don’t know if it is due to the Ramadan.
“I still bought a paint bucket of beans at N3,500 last month but now the same quantity sells at N5,500.
“The price of tomatoes is still fair when compared with last year’s Ramadan. A basket of tomatoes still sold at N18,000 last week, and it is a very fair deal for this period.
“Even the price of garri has been stable, we just hope it continues this way,” Babalola said.
However, an agriculture expert and farmer, Mr Akin Alabi, attributed the stability of food price to the opening of the borders for food imports.
