Ahead of the annual Muslim fasting ritual which is expected to begin on Thursday, prices of food stuff and commodities have skyrocketed in markets around Kaduna metropolis and neighbouring towns.
A visit to some of the markets by PREMIUM TIMES reporter showed that prices of food stuff doubled and some increased by as much as 70 and 80 per cent
.
Mr. Audu, a rice and beans seller in the Sheikh Gumi central market in Kaduna, attributed the rise in prices of commodities to the coming of the month of Ramadan.
“Although not all commodities rise in prices, basic commodities like rice, beans and millet have some kind of rush buying from people and that causes the rise in food stuff prices at the moment”.
Mr. Audu also said, “The rate at which food stuff prices is rising at the moment, I am not sure people can endure it.”
“A bag of rice that goes for between 7000 and 8000 last week is now between 8000 and 9500 naira. The changes in prices also goes for beans and millet,” Mr. Audu said.
Prices of sugar, milk, groundnut oil were also affected.
Mrs. Chike, a supermarket owner and Bello, a shop owner, said it has become a ritual for food stuff to sky rocket in prices when Ramadan is around the corner.
Residents appealed to government to set up a price regulatory agency where prices of commodities will checked to avoid unnecessary increase.
“We do not have options on issues like this because it is something that you must buy.
“Every year we face this kind of rise in prices of food stuff especially when about to begin the month of Ramadan. We only use what we are able to buy,” Binta, a resident said.
She prayed that the new government in the country will have an agency that will be checking on prices of commodities and food stuff especially in times like this and during festive periods.
A visit to other markets in Sabon Gari ,Zaria on Sunday, also showed the same hike in food stuff prices.
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