Consumers groan as prices of food skyrocket in Benue

Consumers are worried over the spike in the prices of food commodities in Benue State occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.

Our correspondent, who surveyed several markets across the state, reports that in recent times, the cost of some food items have doubled their usual prices, leaving consumers, mostly of whom sources of income are nosediving, to groan.

The prices of such commodities as groundnuts and maize even though in their season of abundance have gone up in Benue markets except for prices of fresh pepper and tomatoes which dropped drastically at the reach of low-income consumers.

For instance, at Adikpo market in Kwande Local Government Area of the state, a 100Kg bag of groundnut seeds (without shells) sold at N38, 000 instead of between N18,000 and N20,000 it formerly goes for during its season.

The prices of the same groundnuts sold at Ihugh market in Vandekiya LGA for N36,000 as well.

A middleman, who would not want his name in print, said the prices represented an improvement of how much the commodity was sold in previous weeks.

Our correspondent however observed that vegetables, spices and tomatoes sold reasonably for consumers but to the detriment of farmers.

While tomatoes sold for between N400 and N300 per a medium size basket, different varieties of pepper such ‘Shombu’ sold for N3000 per standard sack and Atalubu maintained the price of N3, 500

Similarly, the prices of grains in Adikpo reputed as the second largest market for grains in Benue State, only after Ihugh are on the high side.

The local grains that are obtainable at Adikpo in large quantities in these markets; are Bambara nuts, rice and sorghum.

Rice millers at Adikpo market sold N22, 000 per 50kg bag of rice while red garri goes for as much as N19, 000 per 100Kg bag known in the local parlance as ‘Akwa Ibom’ and the 50Kg of gari known as ‘Kano’ sold for N8, 500.

A middle man, Aondongu Anyor, attributed the hike in market prices to too many papers – revenue collectors – in the market.

Some respondents who corroborated Anyor explained that the spread of coronavirus which led to the nationwide lockdown impacted a great economic shock on the prices of commodities, especially at the rural markets where the food are conveyed to the urban areas.

At Wadata market in Makurdi, Hassan Ibrahim, a local and foreign rice trader, said the business had not been the same since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

Hassan said, “I feel sad since the beginning of lockdown till date. I have been into the rice business for the past six years now and I have not lost to any disease outbreak but for coronavirus.

“Before now, I sell 50kg of local rice for N17,000 and 50kg of foreign rice for N27,000. Presently, 50kg of local is N24,000, and 50kg of foreign rice is N28,500.”

Hassan said he only goes to market to sell his commodities for selling sake as sitting at home was not easy, otherwise, he doesn’t make gains anymore.

Similarly, Esther Franklin, millet and some other grains seller, said market has not been fine for months now but she was thankful to God, noting that she no longer does business to make income but to keep the home front going.

Esther added, “I have been into the business for 11years and it has really been well with me in the business until this coronavirus outbreak. I don’t make any kobo from the market these days. I sell exactly as the money I use in purchasing the commodities.

“Before, big bag of millet sold for between N15,000 and N16,000, presently old millet is N27,000 while the new millet is N20,000. A bag of guinea corn used to be N25,000 now is between N27,000 and N30,000. Then, a bag of maize is now between N19,000 and N21,000 as against the former N14,000 price per 50kg bag.”

Ismail Umar also said before the disease outbreak, he used to buy a bag of beans (iron beans) for N15,000 while the small beans (moi moi beans) previously sold for N12,500 but now the iron beans goes for N27, 000 and small beans sold at the rate of N30,000.

A tomatoes seller, named Babangida Usman, said Jos tomatoes price at Wadata market in Makurdi increased due to the restriction and closure of road transportation by the government but the one that is available now in the market is locally produced tomatoes in Benue communities.

He said that tomatoes that used to be N5,000 for the small basket and N7,000 for big basket has reduced to N5,000 for the big basket and N3,000 for small basket.

Reacting to the development, a grains buyer/consumer, Msendoo Friday, said since the beginning of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic and even now that it’s relaxed, things have been so difficult for her and her family.

“The situation is becoming unbearable because we can no longer feed three times a day,” she said.

Msendoo emphasized that hunger has hit hard on her because access to food has become very difficult as prices of commodities continue to increase substantially.

In the same vein, Charity Jeremiah was also worried that if the government does nothing about the increment in food commodities and dwindling income of salary earners, some Nigerians would soon find it extremely difficult to even afford one square meal per day.