NAN-HE-14
Foodstuff
Enugu, Dec. 15, 2017 (NAN) Few days to Christmas celebration, prices of major foodstuff have remained stable in markets in Enugu city, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAN correspondent, who conducted markets survey on Friday in Enugu, observed that most prices of foodstuff were relatively stable.
Sellers interviewed revealed that the prices of some commodity had even crashed while most prices remained unchanged.
Mrs Obioma Onwuka, a seller in Akwata market said that prices of commodities such as rice, garri, crayfish, palm oil, melon, dry pepper and “ogbono’’ had remained stable.
“For almost four months, I have been selling a measure of white garri and red garri for N400 and N500 respectively, it used to cost between N1,200 and N1,100 around May.
“The price of palm oil has also remained stable at N500 per 75cl, this is against N1, 000 it used to cost few months ago,” she said.
Another trader, who deals in rice at Mayor market, Mr Izuchukwu Okwu supported Onwuka’s claim, saying that a 25 kg bag of rice in the market goes for between N8, 500 and N9, 000, and at Akwata market it goes for N,8000.
Okwu also added that a bag of 50kg rice was being sold at N17, 500 against N19, 000 sold previously.
Mrs Ngozi Offor, a stockfish seller at Garki market, lamented that the low price had not led to increase in sales.
Offor expressed disappointment with the low level of sales “in spite of the approaching festive season’’.
“The prices of food items did not go up this Christmas season, yet we are experiencing low patronage, if things continue this way it will affect us badly in future,’’ she said.
Offor attributed the downturn in commodity prices to bumper harvest recorded by farmers in the farming season. (NAN)
OJI/ABI/GY
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Edited by Ali inuwa/Grace Yussuf