LAGOS – The prices of pepper, onions and tomatoes have remained stable with just a few days to Christmas in most markets in Lagos, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
A survey by NAN, however, revealed that the prices of live stock, some food items and imported used clothes had increased by at least 35 per cent.
At the Mile 12 and Oke Odo markets, a small basket of tomatoes and pepper (tatashe) sells for N900 each, from the N850 they sold for two weeks ago.
The prices of the biggest sizes of the items now sells for N5,000, as against N8,000 and N6, 000, respectively, that they sold for in the preceding week.
Also, the cost of a bag of onions has dropped to N25, 600 from the N27, 000 it sold for in the previous week.
At the Idi-Oro Market, a bunch of plantain goes for as low as N600, from the N700 it sold for two months ago.
Mr Femi Odusanya, the Spokesman for the Mile 12 Traders Association, told NAN that the products dropped because of the high cultivation of the items this season.
Odusanya said that the farmers planted enough for the Xmas season, hence the drop in price, adding that the prices of the items were expected to remain stable for a long time.
Mrs Ruth Asunmo, a plantain seller at Idi-Oro said, “Plantain grows well during the dry season, hence much plantain is harvested during the period and they sell at low prices.”
According to the survey, the prices of the various brands of rice have also not gone up.
The price of a 50-kilogramme bag of rice ranged between N8, 700 and N10, 000 while Uncle Chef still remained at N7, 400 at most markets.
Mrs Ganiat Ogunbanjo, a rice seller at the Daleko market, told NAN that the prices of rice did not increase because of the increase in local production.
She said there were many local brands of rice in the market and many people now preferred the dwarf specie, otherwise known as Abakaliki rice or Ofada rice.
However, the costs of cartons of frozen turkey and chicken have gone up slightly.
A carton of turkey goes for N7, 600 from N7,200, while the chicken costs N6, 000, up from N5,800.
The price of a live chicken, which sold for N1, 500 before the Christmas now sells for between N2, 500 while the big size, which cost N3,000 is now N5, 000.
A 15 kilogramme live turkey now sells for N20, 000, from N15,000.
Mrs Taibat Ajakaiye, a chicken seller at Oyingbo market, Lagos said, “The high demand for livestocks during the Christmas season is the reason for the price increase.
“We usually buy chicken weeks before Christmas from the poultry farms both within and outside Lagos. The costs of transportation and feeds are factors that affect the prices.”
The survey also revealed that the price of a cow had also increased to N120, 000, depending on the size.
Alhaji Kamouredeen Yekini, a cow seller at Sabo market, Ikorodu, attributed the increase in the price of cows to the insecurity in the North and cost of transportation.
He said, “Last year, we sold a cow for N80, 000 but the least cow we have in the market this year is N120, 000.
“Patronage has been fair as some cooperative groups and companies have been making purchases for their members and staff.”
At the Whitesand Market on Lagos Island, a 25-litre keg of vegetable oil goes for N5,800, while a 25-litre of palm oil goes for N6,300 and the the drum goes for N49, 500.
Similarly, a pair of kiddies shoes which sold for N3,000 some weeks ago, has increased to N4,000, while a girl’s gown is now between N2,500 and N5,000, depending on the grade.
Ladies shoes ranged from N5, 000 to N6, 500, up from N3,500 and N4,500, while a pair of ladies and children’s jeans ranged from N2, 500 to N3,500.
A cross section of the traders at Balogun and Docemo markets told NAN that the cost of importation and the high cost of foreign exchange were responsible for the price increases.
The high cost of clothes and shoes at the market had made some residents of Lagos to resort to imported used clothes and shoes.
The traders of imported used clothes and shoes expressed satisfaction over brisk sales.
Mr Friday Nwanka, a trader at Yaba market told NAN that imported used clothes were of better quality than the new ones.
He said, “A lot of people prefer to buy imported used clothes and shoes because they are of good quality, durable and not common, like the new ones.
“Imported used clothes do not really have a season; if you have beautiful and trendy clothes, people will come. because Christmas usually increases sales because more people will come shopping.
“I have some customers from Port Harcourt that come to buy from me; some buy to wear and some will clean and resell in their boutiques,” he said.
Also, Mr Ifeanyi Agogu, a trader at Kontagora market stressed that Christmas had made sales lucrative.
He said, “I love the Christmas period because of the influx of customers to the market. Women come to buy clothes for themselves and their children.
“We sell kiddies jeans between N300 and N500, depending on the grade.
“The quality of an item, however, determines its price, “ Agogu added.(NAN)
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