Cassava traders union in Niger decries high cost of produce
NAN-AE-15
Cassava
Minna, Nov. 8, 2016 (NAN) Cassava Traders Union, Minna chapter has decried the high cost of cassava as they now buy a pick up load for N90, 000.
The Chairman of the association, Malam Bawa Isah, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Minna, said the same quantity sold for between N35, 000 and N40, 000 in 2015.
“Price of cassava has continued to increase indiscriminately and we are not making gains.
“The people that are bringing the cassava to us keep on telling us that cost of maintaining their cars is high as a result of bad roads, “ he said.
Similarly, the Secretary of the association, Mr Benjamin Animekwe, said cassava is now expensive due to the inflation in the country.
“ Prices of other food stuffs had quadrupled, that is the reason why we must sell at an advantaged price so that we can purchase other food items.
“If we don’t sell at a costly price we would go starving and we would not be able to pay house rents or meet up with other expenses, “ he said.
Animekwe said they were also constrained to sell to consumers at high price to make some profit.
Also speaking, Mrs Eneh Ochaba, a `fufu `seller, said a heap of cassava she bought for N2, 500 in 2015 is now sold for N6, 000.
“I spend a lot of money before I can produce fufu, 20 small wood I used to buy for N300 is now sold for N1, 300, “ she said. (NAN)
MNO/MOL/OU
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/ Obike Ukoh
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