Vegetable prices soar amid power outage in Bauchi

Prices of spinach and vegetable produce soared in Bauchi amid prolonged blackout in the area.

The price of vegetables like spinach, tomatoes and onions soared amid poor market conditions occasioned by low patronage.

A check by our reporter at Muda Lawal and Wunti markets, on Thursday in Bauchi, showed that prices had shot up by about 100 per cent in the last four weeks.

A bunch of spinach previously sold at N1,500 now cost N5,000 in the market.

Tomatoes also indicated a similar increase in prices as a measure sold for N1,500 and onions N2,700 as against N700 and N1,500.

Mr Sa’idu Usman, Chairman, Narasa Vegetable Association, Muda Lawal market, attributed th hike in prices to high cost of transportation of farm produce.

He said the hike in pump prices also affected cultivation and preservation of spinach and other vegetables.

Usman said that vegetables were being supplied to the market from Ganjuwa, a distance of about 50 kilometers from Bauchi metropolis.

“We have over 150 registered members engaging in business transaction daily in the market ranging from wholesale to retail.

“Prices are determined by the availability of the produce. Spinach is scarce in the market, as farmers began irrigation activities not too long ago.

“Retailers in the market now sell a measure of spinach between N400, N500 and N1,000 due to scarcity. Under normal circumstances we took supply of 10 vehicles daily, as against less than five,” he said.

Usman further said the perennial outage compounded the situation, adding that traders were spending more on petrol to power refrigerators, to enable them to preserve vegetables.

Another trader, Isa Kalla, said they were not making good sales due to low patronage amid low supply of the vegetables.

He, however, expressed optimism that the market condition would improve when the supply increased.

Also commenting, Adam Nuhu, a vegetable grower, said that high cost of petrol was causing heavy drain in his pockets and badly affected his production capacity

He said that he now spent about N6,000 to fuel his water pump, to enable him to irrigate his plantation.

“The high cost of buying petrol to water the farm also pushed prices of vegetables upward, and some farmers could not afford a big portion of land to cultivate this dry season,” he said.

He expressed the fear that many dry season farmers could not cultivate their farmlands due to high cost petrol, fertilisers and inputs.

Also, Maryam Idris and Nuratu Ado, decried prolonged power outage in the area, adding that it impeded growth of farming and trading activities

They also called for practical measures to improve electricity supply in the state.