NAN-HE-9
Prices
Kano, June 15, 2017 (NAN) Prices of foodstuff, especially grains, have gone up by about 30 per cent in some markets in Kano metropolis.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rising cost of the items was caused by increase in demand for some of the commodities and high cost of transportation.
In Dawanau grains market, a bag of local rice, which was selling at N30,000, now sells for N34,000.
Similarly, a bag of red beans, which sold for between N21,000 and N23,000, now sells at between N25, 000 and N27, 000.
In Makole market, a bag of maize, which cost between N13,500 and N14,000, fetches between N15,000 and 15,500, while a bag of millet, which was selling at N14,000, now cost between N16,000 and N17,000.
The price of a bag of wheat had also risen from N22,000 to between N26,000 and N27,000.
Prices of other food items and fruits had also gone up due to high demand.
NAN, however, observed that prices of Soya beans, Sorghum and groundnut had crashed by about 20 per cent.
A buyer, Malam Idi Ali, said that the increase in the prices of food items was a normal thing during fasting period because of the increase in demand for some of the commodities.
Another customer, Mrs Amina Bala, attributed the hike to illegal activities of some of the traders, who hoarded essential commodities at the beginning of the fasting period to create artificial scarcity.
Malam Sadi Sanusi, a grain dealer, told NAN that traders had no alternative than to increase prices because of increase in the cost of transportation. (NAN)
MNT/MTM/IM
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Edited by Ibrahim Mammaga