Harvest: Prices of foodstuffs in Kano
As farmers commenced harvesting some crops, prices of foodstuffs in Kano have started dropping compared to what was obtained some weeks ago, Kano Chronicle findings, revealed. Kano Chronicle learnt that crops such as beans, groundnut, maize, rice and millet have been harvested in the state, a development that has led to decreasing of foodstuffs’ prices. A visit to Dawanau […]
As farmers commenced harvesting some crops, prices of foodstuffs in Kano have started dropping compared to what was obtained some weeks ago, Kano Chronicle findings, revealed.
Kano Chronicle learnt that crops such as beans, groundnut, maize, rice and millet have been harvested in the state, a development that has led to decreasing of foodstuffs’ prices.
A visit to Dawanau International Grains market, indicated that a 100kg bag of maize that was sold at N15, 000, is now N8, 500, while a bag of millet that was sold at N15, 500, now sells at N9, 000. Also, a 100kg bag of local rice that was sold at N32, 000 is now N29, 000.
At Tarauni market, our reporters found out that a bag of Irish potatoes that was sold N 22,000 two weeks ago is now N18, 000, while basket of the same product remains N1, 200.
A bag of sweet potatoes which as of last week sold at N11, 000 has dropped to N7, 000, while the price of 100 pieces of yam that was N100, 000 some weeks ago, now sells at N80, 000.
Kano Chronicle findings also revealed that a bag of sugar is still N18, 500, while a measure of the same commodity sold at N1, 200.
Malam Yusha’u Umar, a tomato seller told our reporters that unlike before, prices of the commodity had dropped, saying “two to three weeks back, the prices were much higher than now. A bowl of tomato cost between N1000 and N2000, but now is being sold at N400 and even less defending on the size of the basket.
“A basket of tomato is not more than N10, 000 as against its former price of N18, 000 to N20, 000 in the last four weeks. Even though the patronage is low, but I hope the price will continue to go down,” he said.
Contrary to Umar’s view, Muhammad Sa’eed, a patato seller said, “I have not seen any change. Things are still the way they are. I see no improvement so far. It is not every dealer that will sell old stocks at the price of new stocks.”
Commenting on the development, a businessman, Malam Usman Danliti, said the reduction experienced in the prices might not be unconnected with the harvesting season, as according to him farmers had started flooding markets with their farm produce harvested recently.
He added that there was still hope that the prices would further go down as more farmers continued to flood the market with new crops.
Corroborating Danliti’s observation, a grains’ dealer, Malam Isa Sani Badume, revealed that, indicators had shown that, there would be a crash in prices of foodstuffs as farmers continued to bring their produce to markets, adding that “from the way I am looking at the
situation, the crash will not affect the farmers in a negative way.”
Jamilu Kawai, a food vendor, also said there was no improvement in the conduct of his business despite the decrease in prices of foodstuffs, noting that “I am still experiencing low patronage. Though people like to buy food but there is still scarcity of funds among them. The poor is still crying of hunger despite the said exit from recession.”
However, a tax collector, Nafisatu Idris stated that tax payers earlier complained about the economy and don’t pay their taxes in time, saying that “There is a female shop owner whom I collects tax from, I found her sleeping today and she told me that no onebuy
anything from her for the whole day.
“But generally businesses are improving and tax payers are now willing to pay their taxes. It does not take them more than two weeks to settle their taxes, unlike before when most of them spent months before they could pay,” she said.