As the 2024 Eid Kabir celebrations approach, the prices of perishable and non-perishable food items have soared in major markets in Lagos by over 300 per cent, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
A survey conducted by NAN in major markets (Mile 12, Oyingbo, Surulere, and Ajah) on Tuesday and Wednesday showed that prices of all food items jumped by almost 400 percent in some cases within the space of one year.
A 50 kilogramme (kg) basket of tomatoes sold for N35,000 in 2023 has risen to N100,000 at Mile 12 and as high as N120,000 in high-brow areas of Lekki and Ajah.
The price of a 50kg bag of Scotch Bonnet, popularly known as “Rodo” or “Laredo” pepper, jumped by over 600 per cent, selling for N120,000 against the previous N18,000.
Similarly, a 50kg basket of bell peppers, also called “Natasha,” rose to N95,000 from N21,000 in 2023, while the same quantity of red chilli peppers, also known as “Bawa or combo,” rose to N110,000 from N22,000.
The survey also showed that a 100kg basket of onions is now selling for N70,000, up from N25,000 in the period under review.
NAN also reports that a 50 kg bag of local rice, which sold for N48,000 last year, currently costs N65,000, while the same quantity of imported rice pegged at N55,000 in 2023 is being sold between N80,000 and N90,000, depending on purchasing power.
Also, the prices of animals used to celebrate the festival, such as rams, cows, and goats, have soared astronomically.
Depending on bargaining strength, a medium-sized ram ranged from N350,000 to N700,000, a cow from N800,000 to N1,000,000, and a goat from N75,000 to N120,000.
Eggs and chickens have also jumped. On Tuesday, a crate of eggs, N1,800 in 2023, sold for N4, and a chicken of N8,000 now goes for N12,000 for old layers and N15,000 for broilers.
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