Eid-el-Kabir: Prices of tomato, livestock soar in Lagos
Ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir, prices of tomato, other vegetables and livestock have soared in some markets in Lagos state.
The survey which was conducted at Mile 12, Daleko, Oke Odo, Oyingbo, Mushin and Abattoir markets shows that a 40 kg basket of tomato, which sold for N14, 500 in July has increased to N20, 000, and a 50 kg basket of bell pepper (tatashe) has risen from N18, 000 to N22, 000.
Also, a 50 kg chilli pepper (shombo) now costs N19, 000 from the previous price of N16, 000 while the price of a jute bag of onions dropped from N33, 000 to N25, 000.
A 25 litres of vegetable oil has a marginal increase of N100 to cost N9, 800, while a five -litre of palm oil goes for between N1, 800 and N2, 050.
Spokesperson, Mile 12 Traders Association, Femi Odusanya, attributed the price increase of perishable food items to off-season effect and cost of transportation due to bad roads.
Odusanya, however, expressed optimism that the prices of food items are likely to reduce soon as the market leaders evolve mechanism for price control and checks.
At the Daleko Market, prices of various 50kg brands of rice ranges from N13, 000 to N16, 000, 50kg bag of beans continued to decline in price as it now cost N14, 300 from its previous price of N16, 500.
A rice seller at the market, Uche Obinna, lauded government’s agriculture intervention effort, adding that locally produced rice has increasingly been available in the market.
However, livestock sellers at Owode/Mile 12, Abattoir and Ikorodu markets complained about low patronage of rams by customers and attributed it to paucity of funds.
A ram seller at Sabo, Ikorodu Market, Alhaji Sheu Danladi, said that a big ram ranges between N120, 000 to N250, 000, while a medium-size ram cost about N100, 000.
He said that turnout of buyers to the market had been low and disappointing, adding that the few that came were only window-shopping.
A customer at the market, Alhaji Issa Bello, complained that prices of rams have continued to increase annually, making it almost unaffordable for many Muslims.
