Nigerians Cry Over Soaring Food Prices
The burden of the rising food prices in Nigeria, an economy where over 120 million consumers live under two dollars daily, certainly leave the populace at the mercy of famine and diseases.
The situation no doubt has made it almost impossible for a common man to eat twice in a day.
It however calls for the Federal Government to formulate policies that will strengthen the agricultural sector.
The policies should be aimed at ensuring that increased price of food items do not accelerate the poverty rate of the populace.
Health watchers have attributed the increased in the prices of food commodities in Nigeria to insurgency in the North –Easter part of the country, inadequate mechanised farming system, high cost of transportation, bad roads and inadequate post harvest storage facilities.
A survey carried out in some major markets in Lagos metropolis such as Mushin, Tejuosho and Oshodi revealed that the prices of food items have gone up beyond every ones imagination .
Take for instance, a 50 kg bag of Fresh rice; Cap rice; Mama Africa ; My Choice ; Stallion; that sold for between N14.000 and N14.500 each now sells between N15. 000 and N15.500 respectively. Brand like Moto that sold for N15.000 now sells for N18.000.
A big bag of brown beans that sold for between N15.000 and N15. 500 last year now sells for between N55 .000 and N55.000.
While a bag of egusi that went for N40.000 before now goes for N100.000.
A bag of wheat that was sold for N8.000 some months ago, now sells for N16.000.
The survey also revealed that the prices of yellow and white garri went up. A medium seized bag of yellow garri sells for N5.500, while big bag of white garri costs N6.000.
There is also sharp increase in the prices of condiments; Noodles and salad ingredients.
A basket of tomatoes that sells for between N10.000 and N15.000 now goes for between N30.000 to N40.000
While a basket of pepper that sold for between N8.000 and N10.000 now sells for between N15.000 and N20.000.
The prices of tin and sachet beverages remain high.
A medium seized tuber of yam that was sold for between N250 and N300. Now sells for between N600 and N800.
A food stuff dealer Mr. Chinedu Chukwu who spoke in an interview attributed the increased price of beans in particular to the conflicts in the North –Easter part of the country.
According to him, farmers can no longer go to farm due fear of being attacked by Boko –Haram members and Fulani herdsmen..
He therefore appealed to the present administration to ensure the activities of Boko Haram are brought to a perpetual end so that farmers in the north can go back to farms.
An Educationist, Mrs. Chinwe Uzoma said that most house households had reduced their daily meal in take to once or twice.
‘’ Most families gladly eat what is available and affordable compared to what is nutritionally or desirable to them,’’ she added.
A Public servant , Mrs. Christiana Nda lamented the high cost of tomatoes and pepper in the market , saying that she no longer prepare stew with fresh tomatoes and pepper rather she uses tinned tomatoes and dried pepper.
‘’Before now, l can make a pot of stew with N600 worth of tomatoes and pepper, but now even if l buy N2.000 fresh tomatoes and pepper, it will not be enough to make a pot of stew. The situation is getting out of hand. People are dying of hunger, there is no money, no food.
‘’The government should quickly intervene by providing conducive environment for the farmers so that they will be able to produce enough food for the populace,’’ she said.
An economist, Mr. Abiodun Ade opined that the dwindling revenue from global crude oil price , called for government concerted effort to ensure that the agricultural sector drives the economy.
According to him, government should stimulate growth and more participation in the agricultural sector through long term financing with a moratorium period for farmers.
He added that that the moratorium period was necessary as most produce could take nine to twelve months before they are due for harvest .
Therefore pay back should be between two to three years.
Ade also urged the government to invest more in agriculture by establishing more mechanised farming.
‘’Most of the food items in the market are cultivated by the peasant farmers that have just little farmlands and lack the resources for large plantation.
‘’Mechanised farming will make farm produce to be available in large quantities, even if they are off seasons, the prices will not be ridiculously expensive.
‘’Till the government does the right thing by shifting attention to agriculture , the citizens will continue to groan under the pressure of costly food items,’’ Ade added.
In all the analysts stressed that prioritizing agricultural sector would alleviate difficulties experienced by traders and impact positively on the supply chain to the consumers across the country.