Staple food traders and consumers in Lagos lament the consistent hike in food prices. In separate interviews on Friday in Lagos, the traders and consumers lamented the constant rise in foodstuffs.

They noted that the situation was getting out of hand and a tough situation for Nigerians recently.

They said that sellers and consumers struggled to manage daily expenses as food prices escalated.

A trader at Trade Fair market, Dipson Anayo, said the price of vegetable oil had increased tremendously.

The trader said a 25-litre of vegetable oil had increased to N105,000 from N55,000 and N60,000 a month ago.

“The price hike is tough for both distributors and traders. The companies tell us that the cost of production has spiked, pushing up prices daily. Fuel costs and customs duties also contributed to the burden, making it harder to bring in goods from the border.

“Food prices only go up and never come down. The government knows about these issues, but nothing has changed,” stated the trader.

Another trader in Agboju Market, Fanny Idenedo, noted that the price of a container of palm oil had increased from N30,000 to N70,000, a situation she blamed on fuel hike.

“Fuel prices have made palm oil more expensive, and we expect it to rise further during the festive period, as production usually slows down. The cost of eggs has also increased. A crate, which previously sold for N4,500, now sells for N6,500,” Ms Idenedo said.

Amira Ayeola, a civil servant, decried the persistent increase in the cost of eggs and other poultry produce.

“Eggs should be affordable, but they keep getting more expensive. I used to buy a full crate; now, I can only afford half a crate. Poultry farmers and the government need to find ways to reduce costs,” Ms Ayeola said.

An egg trader, Morufa Jimoh, said the development was affecting patronage.

“It is only few consumers that can now afford to buy eggs due to the price increase caused by a rise in the cost of feeds. The government is making efforts, but let us be honest: the Lagos Sunday market initiative has been exploited by many egg traders.

“The merchants working with the government sell only 20 per cent of the eggs directly to consumers, while the remaining 80 per cent are sold to egg vendors and resold at higher prices, which is unfair,” Ms Jimoh said.

A banker, Cynthia Okoli, lamented that rice was getting out of reach of many Nigerians.

Ms Okoli noted that the price of rice had increased by over 20 per cent in the last three months, saying, “A 50kg bag of rice now sells between N105,000 and N120,000 against N75,000 to N90,000 it was sold in July.”

A consumer, Bolatito Emmanuel, said the government alone should not be blamed for the country’s current situation.

Ms Emmanuel noted that high-profit margins by some sellers contributed to the consistent price hike.

(NAN)