Foodstuff prices crash in Taraba rural areas

There is a noticeable reduction in the prices of foodstuff in rural areas of Taraba State. The areas in Taraba where it was noticed include Mutum Biyu, Garba Chede, Maihula, Dakka, Garbabi, Tella Monkin and Jatau.

It was gathered that a 100kg bag of newly harvested maize now sells at ₦8,000 in Maihula while in Dakka it sells at ₦7,000.

Similarly, in Mutum Biyu and Garba Chede, the bag sells at between ₦12,000 and ₦11,000. Daily Trust findings revealed that a 100kg bag of old stock maize is now sold at between ₦13,000 and ₦15,000 across rural areas of the state. It was learnt that farmers have flooded markets with new maize but there were only a few buyers, a development that forced prices down.

The price of newly harvested rice has also reduced from ₦17,000 per 100kg bag to ₦12,000. Price of locally processed rice also went down from ₦1,200 per measure to ₦9,000. Other foodstuffs affected include yams, cassava, beans and groundnuts. A big tuber of yams sold at ₦1,000 two weeks ago now goes for ₦500 at Kassa, Pantisawa, Monkin and Famanga markets.

A farmer in Taraba, Alhaji Ali Maihula, told our reporter that the bumper harvest being recorded by farmers was responsible for the crash. He said the prices were even lower in areas with difficult terrains. Prices stagger in Kano, Benue, Nasarawa, Katsina. Findings on commodity prices in Kano revealed that at Dawanau grains market, a 100kg bag of rice popularly known as Jamila is sold at ₦54,000 while a 100kg bag of beans is sold at ₦21,000.

READ ALSO: Food insecurity prevalent in Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Abuja — NBS

Similarly, a 100kg bag of old maize is sold at ₦22,000 and that of the new one is sold at ₦18, 500, and a 100kg bag of millet goes for N20,000 while a 100kg of garri is sold at ₦18,500. It was also gathered that the prices of virtually all farm commodities have increased as an average tuber of yam goes for ₦650.

According to Malam Sagir Bello, a resident, said: “Many people have resorted to buying what is known as broken rice which is the last grade of milled rice and even at that, a measure sold at ₦550 initially is now ₦950 and a measure of maize is now ₦600,” he said.

Reports from Benue State shows that a bag of Semovita now goes for ₦3,600, a 50kg bag of local rice sells for ₦25,000 while the same size for foreign rice goes for ₦31,000. A 50kg of flour now costs ₦13,500, while a 100kg of garri now costs ₦26,000. A 1,000 kg bag of millet sells for ₦28,000 and the same size of sorghum costs ₦35,000. A 100kg of maize costs ₦23,000

From Katsina State comes a report that a 100 kg bag of new maize now costs ₦13,000, while the old one goes for ₦19,000. A bag of new beans goes for ₦18,000 per 100kg while the old one goes for ₦20,000. Sorghum costs ₦19,000 per 100 kg. A 100kg bag of rice costs ₦40,000 while millet of the same size costs ₦18,000.

Daily Times gathered that at the Akwanga main market in Nasarawa State, a 50kg bag of foreign rice is ₦32,000 while the local brand is ₦28,000. A 50kg bag of flour sells for ₦13,400. A 10kg bag of semovita costs between ₦3,600 and ₦4,000, depending on the brand. A 100kg bag of garri goes for between ₦15,000 and ₦20,000 depending on the grade and quality.