Following the recent report by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on the increase in prices of food items, Nigerians have decried the continuous rise in prices of food items across the country, saying the increase was an attempt to destroy the poor and vulnerable in the country.
The NBS had reported that the prices of food items such as beef, rice, beans, onion, yam and others increased last September.
The report said that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef increased by 28.08 per cent from N2, 199.37 recorded in September 2022 to N2, 816.91 in September 2023.
“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of boneless beef increased by 0.62 per cent in September from the N2, 799.51 recorded in August 2023,’’ the report stated.
Daily Champion recalled that for months now, the increase of food price has brought more pains and sufferings to many Nigerians.
In an interview with Daily Champion, a resident of Oshodi in Lagos, Mr. Prosper Samuel, said: “The increase in food prices has made us lose a lot in this country. My wife used to buy bags of rice and half bag of beans and garri in the house. But these days, we can’t afford it any longer. Now, we only take home what we see, and this is frustrating and saddening.
Speaking further, he said, reduction of fiscal costs of short term intervention could help the price hike, dding that: “Food and fertilizer subsidies, income transfer and other compensatory measure should be effectively targeted to avoid excessive fiscal cost”.
A student of UNILAG, Mr. Omotayo Basit, said food prices rose incessantly.
“Meanwhile, the funding at home did not increase with it. I became a garri drinker because I had no choice even garri is costly now. Sadly, since I cannot survive without food, I had no choice than to spend half of my school fees on food stuff. When the management set deadline, I had to incur a debt to pay school fees. The government should introduce policies that will curb food inflation”, Mr. Basit said.
Also speaking, Miss Omotunde Amoke said she could not afford to buy a bag of rice as she used to due to the recent price hike.
“Improving the management of public sector grain stock might help the price hike”, she said, adding that poor management of government grain reserve contributed to food price volatility”.
According to NBS in the latest household market survey, prices of major food items increase across all markets, as traders wail that there is no gain anymore for them. The money used to buy two bags of rice then is now used to buy only one bag.
The report said that the average price of 1kg of Yam tuber increased by 45.11 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N409.23 in September 2022 to N593.83 in September 2023.
“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of yam tuber increased by 3.03 per cent from the recorded N576.39 in August 2023.’’
On state profile analysis, the report showed that the highest average price of 1kg of boneless beef was recorded in Anambra at N3, 800.42, while the lowest price was recorded in Kogi at N1, 845.29.
It said that Rivers recorded the highest average price of 1kg of local rice at N931.82, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N539.35.
The NBS added that the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans was recorded in Imo at N1, 090.23 while the lowest price was recorded in Kogi at N485.64.
It said the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb was recorded in Abia at N862.35, while the lowest was recorded in Nasarawa at N295.73.
According to the report, Akwa Ibom recorded the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N1, 088.57, while Plateau recorded the lowest price at N320.34
Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef was highest in the South-East at N3, 550.75, followed by the South-West at N2, 875.47.
“The lowest price was recorded in the North-Central at N2.461.20.”
The South-East and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of local rice at N901.26 and N824.55, respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-Central at N621.93.
The report said that the South-East recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N995.76, followed by the South-West at N771.37, while the North-Central recorded the lowest price at N587.99.
It said that the South-East and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb at N723.63 and N697.34 respectively, while the lowest was recorded in the North-Central at N340.75.
The NBS said also that the South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N791.69, followed by the South-South at N748.56.
“The North-East recorded the lowest price of 1kg of yam at N366.79,’’ the NBS said.
