Prices of food items have gone up in major markets in Ilorin, Kwara, as Ramadan fast began on Monday.
A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) showed that the affected commodities are foodstuffs, frozen foods, beverages and provisions, among other commodities.
At the major markets in the city in Obbo Road, Yoruba Road and Oja Tuntun, it was observed that the cost of rice, beans, catfish, potatoes, sugar and vegetable oil, among others had increased.
Some traders, who spoke with NAN, said the prices went up few weeks ago.
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The owner of a provision shop at Obbo Road, Mrs Folake Abiodun, said a bag of rice which was sold for N13,000 weeks ago, now costs N13,500, while a bowl goes for N500 as against N450 it sold previously.
“A tray of evaporated milk, which sold for N4,000 has risen to N4, 200, while a bag of beans increased from N35,000 to N44,000,’’ Abiodun said.
Another foodstuff seller, Alhaja Zainab Abdulqudus, said that a 10kg of Golden Penny Semovita had risen to N2,900 from N2,800, while a sachet of Milo refill goes for N950 instead of N900.
A Meat Seller, Ibrahim Danladi, said that the lap of a cow which was sold for N25,000 had increased to N29,000.
Findings also revealed that a 25 litre of groundnut oil now costs N16,600 as against N10,200 it was sold few weeks ago, while the same quantity of palm oil sold for N10,500 instead of N8,500.
NAN reports that a bag of garri now costs N15,000, up from N11,000 it sold recently.
“A basket of tomatoes which costs N4,000 before now, is sold at N22,000.
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“A basket of pepper which we used to sell for N4,000 now costs N8,000, while a sack of onions sold for N8,000 now goes for N11,000,’’ Mrs Kudirat Yakub, a pepper seller told NAN.
The survey also indicated that a kilogramme of catfish rose from N600 to N750, while a medium-sized chicken sold for N2, 500 as against N1,500.
“The fact of the matter is that people are taking undue advantage of this fasting period because of the high demand for the commodities,’’ a trader, Bolanle Yusuf said.
A Consumer, Taiye Abdulwahab, blamed some traders for deliberately increasing the prices to make more profit during the fasting period.
Abdulwahab, however, noted that things were better in 2019 than the previous years when price of foods were extremely high. (NAN)