As farmers began crop harvest, prices of local
rice has dropped by about 25 per cent in
Maiduguri, Borno, and newsmen report.
A check by newsmen at Gamboru and Customs
Area Markets in Maiduguri indicated that prices of
the commodity had dropped in the past two
months since the beginning of crop harvest by
farmers.
Rice
Newsmen report that rice farmers had recorded
bumper harvests this cropping season, forcing
the prices of the staple food crushing.
A 50kg bag of local rice goes for between N6,500
and N7,200 as against the old price of N9,000,
while a measure of the produce is sold at N380.
The development has affected the price of refined
rice which also declined.
A 50kg bag is being sold at between N15,000 and
N16,500 from the old price of N17,500.
A measure of the commodity now go for N900 as
against N1,050, depending on its quality.
Prices of other produce had also dropped
significantly in the past months as a measure of
maize is sold at N280, beans N450 and millet
N350, as against the previous prices of N420,
N600 and N500, respectively.
Similarly, a measure of groundnut oil i sold at
N280 as against N500.
Traders at the markets attributed the drop in
prices to improvement in the supply of food
commodities to the markets.
Malam Ali Muhammad, a rice dealer, said that
prices of rice were falling on daily basis in view of
the fresh supplies from the farms.
Muhammad also attributed the situation to
improvement in the supply of local produce to the
market, adding that the development is
encouraging.
“There is a significant increase in the number of
farmers who cultivated rice and other produce
this cropping season.
“Prices will further go down as supply improves,’’
he said.
Muhammad said that rice dealers were now
enjoying appreciable patronage.
Also commenting, Ya-Ana Yusuf, a peanut
grower, said that the massive mobilisation of
farmers in liberated communities had encouraged
production and forced grain prices down in the
state.
Malam Muhammad Dungus, a resident,
expressed joy over the development, and urged
traders to further reduce their prices.
Newsmen report that the Federal Government in
collaboration with Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) had distributed fertilisers,
seeds and inputs to over 1.1 million farmers in
the Northeast this cropping season.
More than 5,000 rice farmers were also
supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
under the Anchor Borrowers Scheme in Borno.
NAN https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/40000-persons-displaced-benue-gunmen-attack-sema/

verily after hardship comes ease