Tackle middlemen to check soaring food prices – N/East residents urge FG

Some residents in the North-East have urged the Federal  Government to tackle middlemen in food supply chain to check soaring food prices in the country.

They said the measure was imperative to check massive mopping- up of grain by merchants which triggered food price hike across the country.

The residents made the call while responding to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on rising prices of food commodities.

NAN checks in major markets in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe and Maiduguri showed that prices of food items had shot up by over 15 per cent in the past two months.

In Gombe, a 50kg bag of local variety rice was sold between N28,000 and N33,000 depending on its quality, and a 100kg bag of beans sold at N50,000 as against it’s old price of N35,000.

While a bag of maize costs N20,000 as against its previous prices of N15,000, respectively.

A 25 liter keg of vegetable oil was sold at N35,000 and the same container of palm costs N33,000 as against N27,000 and N25,000, respectively.

Soybeans, however, indicated decrease in prices as 100kg bag of the produce sold for N34,000 as against N50,000.

NAN checks at Tshowar Kasuwa market in Dutse, Jigawa, grain indicated sprawling increase in prices in the past weeks.

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A bag of 100kg rice was sold at N44,000, maize N24,000 and millet N24,000 as against it’s old prices of N36,000 and N20,000, respectively.

While a carton of pasta sold between N6,500 and N7,000, depending on the brand.

At Wunti and Muda Lawal markets in Bauchi, a measure of polished rice goes for N1,200, and local variety costs N750 as against N1,000 and N600 in September this year.

Similarly, at Bayan Tasha market in Damaturu, Yobe, a big measure of refined rice sold at N2,200 as against N1,800, and a measure of beans sold between N1,300 and N1,400.

A measure of flour that went for N1,300 two weeks ago now costs N1,500, and maize grits N900 as against N650.

While the traders attributed the inflationary trend to exorbitant prices of farm inputs, manufacturing and transportation costs, however, the residents blamed traders for unilateral hike in prices to exploit consumers.

Alhaji Abdullahi Maigwanjo, Vice Chairman, Yobe Traders Association, blamed the high cost of the food items on farmers and manufacturers.

“Taders don’t manufacture goods, we only buy and sell to consumers based on the existing prices fixed by farmers and manufacturers,” he said.

He urged government at all levels to adopt programmea and policies to control inflation in the country.

Corroborating the stance, Sanusi Abdullahi, Chairman, Gombe Main market, said the situation was compounded by the high cost of diesel for manufacturing and transportation services as well as activities of off-takers who flooded village markets at harvest.

He said the massive mop-up of grain by middlemen increased demand of the commodoties amid low supply, thereby forcing prices up on daily basis.

“They deployed their agents to villages and buy grain from farmers even before they harvested their crops,

“It is not an encouraging situation because it disrupted grain supply and caused hike in prices,” he said.

However, the residents who expressed concern over the rising food prices, called for proactive measures to address the situation.

Mr Emmanuel Ayuba, a resident of Bauchi, said the situation had exposed them to difficulties.

“The hike in food commodity prices is a source of concern to most families in the country.

“It is unfortunate that grain prices are on the rise now. What will be the situation after harvest?

“The trend calls for urgent action to salvage the situation and guarantee food security in the country,” he said.

Another resident, Hajiya Usaina Usman, said the high cost of food commodities is causing heavy drain in her pockets.

“The hike in food prices is affecting my savings because my income has not improved over the years,” she said.

Also, Mrs Juliana Amos said the situation had made it difficult for her to fend for her family.

For her part, Fatima Garba, a resident of Dutse, said urgent measures were imperative to check activities of middlemen and control inflation to ensure food security in the country.