As the Yuletide celebration approaches, prices of goods and services have soared in major markets in Ile-Ife, Osun State.
A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Ile-Ife, showed that the hike is caused by high cost of transportation occasioned by the ongoing fuel scarcity across the country.
Mrs Munirat Salami at Fowobake Market, expressed dissatisfaction with the level of sales this season, attributing the low patronage to the economy, saying it had taken a negative turn on consumers.
“The increase in the prices of foodstuffs is a tradition in every Yuletide, but people still buy what they need if money is available.
“But now things are hard, traders spend a lot of money on transport and after sales, we make little profits,” she lamented.
Salami told NAN that the prices of five tubers of yam range from N1, 200 to N3, 500, which was between N2, 500 to N800 earlier.
A condiment seller at Oja-tuntun Market, Mrs Bolatito Afolabi, said that the cost of transporting the perishable goods “is so high’’ and this had affected her business and patronage negatively.
Afolabi said that a basket of big tomatoes for some weeks was selling for N14, 000 from N9, 000, while a small basket was going for N11, 000 as against N8, 000 previously.
She said that the same was applicable to other perishable goods such as long pepper or (sombo) that increased to N14, 000 from N7, 000.
According to her, the other species of pepper such as “tatase’’ and “rodo’’ have only marginally increased in their prices.
Mrs Bisi Awosunle, who sells live chicken and turkey at Itakogun Market, disclosed that even before the Yuletide season, the price of animal feeds were unbearable.
“If not that I am used to the business, I would have just stopped for now, but I have no choice than to manage myself with the situation on ground,” she said.
Awosunle said that the price of broiler chicken ranges from N2,500 to N4,500, while cockerel chicken rose from N2,500 to N3,800.
He added that turkey was now told for between N3, 500 and N10,000 depending on the size.
Also, Mr Ngozi Emeka, a foodstuff seller, said that the price of rice had been somewhat stable, adding that a bag of Falcon rice was now N14, 800 from N14, 300.
Emeka said that African King Rice rose to N14, 500 from N13, 000, while Royal Rice, Kadran Rice and REF Rice remained at N13, 500.
He said that the a bag of “oloyin’’ or sweet beans had gone up to N35, 000 from N25, 000, while “drum’’ beans now sold for N32,000 from N28, 000.
However, the price of yam flour has drastically come down from N100, 000 for a big bag to N65, 000, while the small bag which sold for N85, 000 is down to N55 ,000.
