There are decrease in prices of food in major grains market in Kano, Taraba and Niger state. There had been protests in some ststes such as Lagos, Kano , Oyo and Niger state over the hardship in the country.
Prominent Nigerians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero; among others, as we as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had called on the federal government to take measures to address the situation.
Some factors has been seen as the cause of decrease in price of Food items which include, decision by multi- billion naira food companies, the stoppage of inter-state movement with food items in some parts of the country, increased surveillance around borders to stem export and clampdown on some people discovered to be hoarding the grains.
At Kano State, reports from Kano State yesterday had it that prices of maize, soya beans, beans and rice had dropped at Doguwa, Tudun Wada and Bunkure markets and others. A grain merchant, Hudu Faruk, attributed the price drop to the sealing of warehouses accused of hoarding grains by the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission.
“They have asked us to halt the purchase of commodities and many merchants are apprehensive on the matter hence, they quit buying last week. Perhaps, this is the main reason behind the drop in price,” he said.
In Taraba State, prices of maize, millet, sorghum, white beans, soybeans and dried cassava have come down at Mutum Biyu, Garba-Chede, Maihula and Iware markets.
At Maihula town, a farmer, Ali Maihula, yesterday told Daily Trust that the price of 100kg bag of maize had dropped from N54,000 to N40,000; soybeans, from N40,000 to N32,000; sorghum from N50,000 to N41,00; a mudu of locally processed rice, from N2,300 to N1,700; and white beans dropped from N2,100 to N1,600.
In Kwara State, a farmer and former chairperson of the Kwara Rural Farmers, Bose Anifowose, told our correspondent that a 50kg bag of maize which she sold above N65,000 in January was sold for N40,000 at Ajase market yesterday.
A former secretary of AFAN, Mukaila Salaudeen, who is also the chairman of Amana Farmers, Ilọrin, said: “At the local market now, the prices of grains like maize and beans, among others are gradually coming down.