Prices of perishable items have significantly decreased across major towns in Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa states, according to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria.
At the Damaturu Perishable Items Market in Yobe, prices have fallen by nearly 50%. For example, a large basket of tomatoes, previously sold for N120,000 between April and May, now costs N40,000. Similarly, the price of a small basket has dropped from N75,000 to N18,000. Pepper prices have also seen a decline, with a bag now costing N82,000 compared to N170,000 earlier in the year.
However, onion prices have risen, with a bag now costing N50,000, up from N28,000 to N30,000 just a few months ago.
Market Chairman, Alhaji Muazu Abbas, explained that the price drop is due to the arrival of fresh produce in the market, a common trend following harvest periods.
While perishables are becoming more affordable, the price of yams has surged in Damaturu’s Bayan Tasha Market. Two small tubers of yam now cost N4,000, up from N1,500 in 2023. Three larger tubers, previously priced at N3,500, now go for N15,000.
Yam Sellers Leader, Alhaji Habibu Mohammed, attributed this sharp increase to limited supply and higher transportation costs from states like Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau.
Alhaji Usman Ngari, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Yobe Chapter, voiced concern over the high cost of establishing food storage facilities, which are crucial for preserving crops and boosting profits. He urged the government to support farmers financially to help acquire such facilities.
In Borno, perishable item prices mirror those in Yobe, though traders expect further price reductions once local harvests begin. Supplies currently come from Kaduna and Kano, said Isa Mohammed, a vegetable dealer in Maiduguri.
Grain prices, however, remain high in both Borno and Adamawa, with local rice, beans, maize, and millet showing no signs of decreasing until the October harvest. Mustapha Usman, a grain dealer in Borno, and Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, Chairman of the Adamawa Chapter of the Nigeria Small Scale Industrialists, highlighted the rising costs of grains, with maize now at N90,000 per 100kg bag and white beans at N160,000. They remain hopeful for price relief following the upcoming harvest.
