Yuletide: Kwara traders lament low sales

Traders in Ilọrin, the Kwara State capital, have lamented low patronage during the Christmas period.

A market survey conducted by our correspondent revealed that high prices of goods and commodities have reduced the purchasing power of residents.

A rice merchant, Abubakar Sulaimon said, “Last year was not like this. By now, I had several bags of rice in a few hours but today, I brought out 50 bags, and I haven’t sold up to 10.”

For Adesanlu Ojo, who sells chicken, the sharp increase in prices have driven buyers away.

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“Last year, a small chicken was N9,000, but this year, it’s N25,000. Customers are complaining, and I don’t blame them. Things are hard for everyone. We are not making any sales at all. The situation in the country is very bad,” he said.

Also, Idiayat Saka, who trades in pepper and tomato, echoed similar sentiments, citing high costs as the main deterrent to customers.

“Last year, a basket of tomatoes was N35,000, but this year, it’s N50,000. Customers are not buying because they say it’s too expensive,” she said.

Opeyemi Aliami, a yam seller, also shared her struggles, explaining how the cost of yams has doubled since last year.

“Last year, a pack of yam was N5,000, but now it’s N10,000. People just look and walk away,” he said. 

For Sani Sokoto, an onion trader, the situation has been dire for over six months. “A small basket of onions now costs N12,000 and a sack is N250,000. I didn’t even bother coming to the market until recently, but sales are still bad,” he said.

Olajumoke Adebayo, a vegetable oil vendor, lamented the drastic drop in sales due to skyrocketing prices.

“Five litres of groundnut oil now costs N16,000 and even a single bottle is N2,700. Palm oil isn’t any better. Five litres is N10,500and customers can’t afford it. Sales have dropped drastically compared to last year,” she explained.