The people of Mararaban Liman Katagum have decried the rising food prices in the area despite the bumper harvest farmers made at the end of this year’s farming season, WikkiTimes can exclusively report.
Some of the residents who spoke to our reporter lamented how soaring food prices loom a nagging fear of possible starvation in the months ahead.
A cross-section of residents of Mararaba lamented how greedy business merchants shared money with their foot soldiers moving from one village to the next buying grains directly from farmers even before harvest so as to hoard the grains.
Musa Muazu, who visited Mararaba market to buy foodstuff for his family said an avalanche of food buyers troop into his community leasing out money to farmers ahead of supply, adding that they buy maize, rice and soya beans in large quantities before they get to the market.
“I am really shocked at the prices of foodstuffs especially as this is the only time when consumers expect relief.
“When you compare this year’s prices with that of last year at the same time, you will really understand that only divine intervention can alter the situation, otherwise, inflation will bid harder than it is at the moment, Musa said.
Idris Abdullahi, a maize seller, said that his boss gave him N2,700,000 to buy soya beans alone.
He, however, noted that the commodity is not available in the market at the moment.
“My Oga brought N2 million last week and sent another N700,000 with which I went to Dass Market yesterday. I have exhausted them all,” he said.
Danladi Mairiga whose family need at least five measures of maize to cater for its three days food demands, managed to buy only three measures because of the high price of the commodity, leaving his household in uncertainty, having no idea as to what they will eat in the next three days.
“I could not believe it that at this time maize is still going for more than N200. It is too much. If it were around June or July, one can say that it is usual,” Mairiga lamented.
WikkiTimes’ findings reveal that prices of perishables at Mararaba market skyrocketed. A basket of tomatoes goes for N3500; a sack of onions goes for N10,000 While a bottle of palm oil goes for N750.
Besides, a measure of local rice sold for N500; maize sold for N220 as opposed to N120 last year at this time, while suya beans and cowpeas sold for N470 and N500 respectively as opposed to N200 for both last years.
