Some residents of Bauchi, Gombe and Dutse have expressed joy over the drop in food prices in recent weeks.
A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Bauchi, Gombe and Dutse markets, showed that food prices decreased slightly as against galloping inflation in the past months.
NAN reports that prices of parboiled rice, maize, beans and millet also dropped by about 10% in the markets across the states.
In Gombe, a 50-kilogram bag of foreign rice was sold at ₦66,000 as against ₦82,000, while a 100-kg bag of local variety rice was sold at ₦120,000 as against ₦130,000. Also, a measure of beans was sold at ₦1,800 as against ₦1,900, while a 100kg bag of the produce sold at ₦78,000 as against its previous price of ₦83,000.
However, perishable produce showed a marginal increase in prices as a medium-sized basket of tomatoes sold for between ₦8,000 and ₦11,000 as against its old price of ₦9,500 and ₦13,000, depending on its quality. A bag of onions which previously sold between ₦13,000 and ₦20,000 now sells at ₦12,000 and 1₦8,000, respectively.
At Wunti market in Bauchi, prices of maize indicated a similar decrease as a 100kg bag sold at ₦58,000; beans ₦75,000, soybeans ₦32,000 and sorghum ₦43,000, as against its old prices of ₦60,000; ₦75,000, ₦80,000 and ₦50,000, respectively.
In the Dutse grain market, a 100kg bag of local variety rice sold at ₦140,000 as against ₦160,000, while millet sold at ₦68,000 as against ₦72,000, sold in the past weeks. Similarly, a 100kg bag of maize and sorghum sold at ₦68,000 as against ₦72,000, and wheat sold at ₦80,000 as against ₦88,000.
Grain dealers at the markets attributed the development to the Federal Government’s ban on bulk purchase of grain and the implementation of proactive monetary policies in the country.
Alhaji Danjuma Jahun, a rice dealer in Bauchi, said the measures adopted by the government checked hoarding and improved food supply.
“The reduction in prices is because of the government’s action to ban bulk buying of grain in the markets,” he said.
Another dealer, Isa Munkaila, said that prices would further go down given the improved supply to the markets. He called for improved power supply to rice mills to encourage productivity.
Moreso, Bala Abdullahi and Musa Adamu, who expressed happiness over the development, commended the food palliative programme initiated by the federal and state governments.
Abdullahi said the programme checked inflation and enhanced food security in the country, adding that prices would further crash as cropping season sets in.