By Fatima Ali
As the festive season draws near in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, a market survey conducted at the Lokoja International Market shows that prices of most food items and essential commodities have remained relatively stable, although a few items have recorded noticeable increases.
Findings from the survey reveal that a sack of sweet potatoes still sells for fifteen thousand naira, while a standard basket measure goes for one thousand, five hundred naira.
Irish potatoes, however, have recorded a sharp increase in price,with a sack, which previously sold for sixty-five thousand naira, now goes for about ninety thousand naira, while the standard basket measure has risen from six thousand, five hundred naira to eight thousand, five hundred naira.
A bag of beans is currently sold between seventy thousand and one hundred thousand naira, depending on the type and quality, with a standard measure selling for between one thousand and one thousand, five hundred naira.
Similarly, a bag of rice costs between eighty thousand and ninety thousand naira, depending on quality, while the standard rubber measure sells for six thousand to seven thousand naira.
Further checks show that a bag of maize sells for between twenty-four and twenty-five thousand naira, A bag of guinea corn goes for thirty to thirty-one thousand naira, while millet sells for between thirty-two and thirty-eight thousand naira, all depending on quality.
A basket of tomatoes is sold for between twenty-five and thirty thousand naira, while a standard basket measure costs about three thousand naira.
Onions have also experienced a price increase, as a standard basket measure, which previously sold for two thousand naira, now costs about three thousand, five hundred naira.
Speaking on the rising cost of some items, a customer, Mrs. Aisha Abdulrazak, expressed concern over the sudden increase in the price of fresh pepper.
She told Prime FM correspondent that a bag of fresh pepper, which used to sell for between six thousand and eight thousand naira, now costs between twenty-five and twenty-eight thousand naira, while a standard basket measure sells for four thousand to six thousand naira.
Responding to the development, a fresh pepper seller at the Lokoja International Market, Mallam Nasiru Yahaya, attributed the price hike to high demand, low supply, and increased transportation costs.
He appealed to the government to support farmers in strengthening supply chains and encouraged consumers to engage in home gardening as a way of easing pressure on the market.
Edited by Ajifa Ainoko
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