WITH the lingering petrol scarcity and its attendant effects on Nigerians, the Federal Government should, as a matter of urgency, find ways of cushioning the untold hardship brought upon Nigerians.

The government of the day has introduced several policies that can encourage local production of consumables, such as ban on importation of essential commodities, but this happens to be one of the policies that have been rubbished by scarcity of fuel in the last couple of months.

Visits to major markets in Lagos and Ibadan, revealed low patronage, meaning that the purchasing power of many Nigerians had dropped, especially in the face of backlog of unpaid salaries.

It is no longer news that many states in the federation have been unable to meet their monthly obligation of paying workers’ salaries as at when due.

The situation in Agege market, in Lagos, was the same as that of Bodija, in Ibadan, when the Nigerian Tribune visited the markets at the weekend.

In fact, major warehouses which were usually dotted by long queues were devoid of such, as they had exhausted all their stocks of imported brands of commodities, ranging from rice, vegetable oil, tinned foods, among others.

As of December 2015, a bag of real long grain rice in the name of Royal Umbrella, Special Caprice, Mama Gold, Mama Africa, Elephant, PJS, Tomato among others, was N10,200, with various short and medium grains going for between N8,000 and N9,000. But as of last weekend, in both cities, the long grain stuff was not available and where available, a bag sold for N15,000. The usual flooding of the markets with both short and medium grains seem to have abated, as a bag now costs N13,000.

A jute bag of brown beans (Oloyin) sells for between N24,500 and N25,800, as against N19,800, while drum now goes for N19,200 as against N15,600.

Yam flour price that was previously determined by climatic conditions has remained on the high side, as a jute bag goes for N60,000, while the medium bag sells for N45,000.

Gari, which always come to the rescue of the cash-strapped, is no longer for the poor as a tin/bowl has risen from N1,500 to N2,500, a 10-kilogramme bag of semovita now sells for N2,700, as against N2,200, wheat price per 10-kilogramme bag has equally gone up with N200, from N2,200 to N2,400.

The various brands of imported vegetable oils that were sold for N6,500 last December, now sell for N10,000 for a 25-litre keg. Though they come in different brands, like Kings, Emperor, Moi, Hayart, it will take a discerning consumer to get the sealed keg and not the refill from neighbouring Cotonou for almost the same price.

A 10-kilogramme pack of frozen turkey or chicken obtainable for just N6,500/N7,000 four months ago is sold between N8,000 and N9,000.

Commodities like tinned tomato puree, sweet corn, Farrows green beans, hot dog, mayonnaise, hot dog, red kidney bean among others are almost double their original prices.

Giant size of the various brands of tomato puree (St Rita, Gino, De Rica, De Gold, Pomo etc), which sells for N900 before, now costs between N1,200 and N1,500, depending on the city of purchase.

Sweet Corn, whether Green Giant or Napa, which sold for N150, now costs between N180 and N220; Red Kidney bean now sells for N250, as against N160; Hot Dog (sausage) was originally N200, but now N275, while big bottle Bama Mayonnaise salad cream has gone as high as N1,300, against N900.

The saying that butter is not for the monkey is applicable to what is currently going on, as the confectionary industry is not comfortable with the prices of its raw materials, as the common margarine is getting out of hand. A 50- kilogramme bag of wheat flour irrespective of its maker sells for N9,300, as against N6,500, 50-kilogramme bag of sugar was 7,000 before now. It now costs N9,400.

A-10 kilogramme bucket of Topper margarine, which sold for N5,800, now sells for N7,500, while the least in this family sells for N4,500. Common yeast that sold for N350 for a pack is now N600, with flavouring a roll (12 bottles) selling for N1,500, as against N1,000.

Family special staple, noodles for both young and old sells for N1,500 against N1,250.

If the sky-hitting prices were occasioned by the policy on importation of consumables, how do we explain a big basket of tomato which shelf life is only a few days now selling for as much as N20,000? A medium bag of Tatashe (long pepper) that usually sells for N5,000 is now N12,000 with a three-litre bucket of Rodo going for between N700 and N1,300, which was before now sold for N500.

A cross section of traders spoken with blamed the prices on government’s ban on importation and the lingering fuel crises.
http://tribuneonlineng.com/prices-of-commodities-skyrocketting-killing-—findings

True talk. The price of foods have sky rocketed. The things I bought last week for #300 are now #400as at yesterday. May God help us in this country.





Please check my signature. Get rid of stretch marks.

Its really frustrating and annoying, imagine Spaghetti that used to be 90 or 100, now selling for 170/180.