Sallah: Prices of food items soar in Abuja

Ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, prices of rams and other food items in Abuja have gone beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. 

A market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday showed that prices of food items, including tomatoes, onions and fresh pepper had gone up by 20 per cent.

NAN reports that rams, which is usually slaughtered by Muslims during the celebration, now sells for between N15,000 and N130,000 as against N13,000 and N90,000 about a week ago.   

At the popular Orange Market in Mararaba near Abuja, a basket of fresh tomatoes now sells for between N600 and N700, while a basket of fresh pepper now costs N500 as against the N400 it was previously sold for. 

A basket of onions now sells for N650 as against N550 last week.

NAN reports that the situation is the same at Wuse, Kubwa, Lugbe and Nyanya markets.

Malam Dangari Suwedi, a trader at the Mararaba Orange Market, attributed the increase to high demand by consumers and the increasing costs of purchase and transportation of the items. 

Malam Haruna Suleiman, a trader at Kubwa Market, said that the increase in prices was due to the forthcoming Sallah celebration, which increased the demand for the food items.

Mrs Aisha Bashir, a housewife, decried the increase, and said that she would suspend shopping of the affected items until after the celebration.

NAN, however, reports that prices of rice, vegetable oil and tin tomatoes were not affected by the increase.

The cost of a 50 kilogramme bag of Mama Gold rice remained at N8,600, while a 25 kilogramme of the same brand of rice sold for N4,300.

A carton of Fiammetta, Gino and De Rica brand of tin tomatoes also remained at N1,200, N1,350 and N1,350 respectively.

The price of a four-litre gallon of vegetable oil also stands at N1,900, while that of 2.75 litres and one-litre stand at N1,550 and N500 respectively.

A trader at Wuse market who simply gave his name as Malam Zubairu, said the prices of these items had remained stable because demand for them did not increase.    

NAN reports that Eid-el-Kabir or the "Festival of Sacrifice” is a yearly religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ismaila.