Prices of foodstuffs continue to soar in Enugu major markets

Prices of some foodstuffs, particularly eggs, beans and tubers of yam have continued to increase in Enugu major markets, our correspondent reports.

Our correspondent, who conducted a market survey in Enugu on Friday, reports that the prices of foodstuffs have increased significantly between April and June 2021.

It was reported that a 4.5 liter bucket of beans now sells for between N2,500 and N2,700 as against between N2,000 and N2 ,200 sold in April depending on the type.

A visit to some markets in the state capital showed that a 4.5 liter paint bucket of white beans sold for N2, 000 in April now goes for between N2, 400 and N2, 500

At the Ogbete, Garki and New Markets, a paint bucket of white beans is sold for N2, 500 while the brown beans of the same bucket go for N2, 700.

Mr Jude Onuora, a beans seller at New Market said that beans price had remained high for some months now, blaming it on the high cost of transportation from the Northern part of the country.

“The cost of transportation and off-season of most agricultural produce have been the reason for high cost of most foodstuffs in the city,” Onuora said.

He added that a bag of white beans now goes for N70, 000 as against N62, 000 in April while the brown beans now sold for between N77, 000 and N80,000 against N68,000 and N74, 000.

Also, price of eggs has continued to increase in major markets in Enugu.

Mrs Onyinye Ani, an egg seller at Garki Market, said that a crate of eggs now goes for N1, 500 as against N1, 200 in April.

Ani blamed the increase on high price of chicken feeds, adding that the high cost of the feed necessitated the increase in the price of eggs.

Another egg seller at Mayor Market, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that an egg now goes for between N60 and N70 depending on size as against its previous price of N40.

Meanwhile, it was not different from the price of yam tubers in most markets in the city.

Mrs Chizy Okwu, a yam seller at Garki Market, said that the increment was high compared to previous years.

“The price of yam increased in most markets due to its off-season, as already planted yams are waiting to be harvested.

“We are hopeful that in a short while there will be reduction in price of the commodity,” Okwu said.

According to her, a tuber of a sizable tuber of yam now goes for N1, 200 as against N700 while the medium size goes for between N500 and N600 per tuber.