Nigerians have cried out over escalating cost of common perishable and preservable food items across various markets in Niger State.
This is coming barely few months after the State government inaugurated a Price Control committee to check excesses of foodstuff merchants and middle-men, whose activities is adding to the rise in cost of not not only food items but goods and services from the farms to the end users.
Published findings indicate that the least in quality of standard mudu of local rice and beans (containing ten milk cups) is ?2, 800 and ?2, 900 the commonest of all, Garri, is now ?1, 500, while brown beans of the same measure has simply skyrocketed beyond the reach of most families, over 100% rise than before the current economic crisis.
A mudu of Maize (coloured), millet, Guinea corn is between ?1, 600 and ?1, 800 while the white coloured ones is about ?100 and ?200 less, coming barely 30 days to Christmas.
Also, ?50, the fourth least currency denomination, is fast becoming valueless as the cost of virtually everything within the range, including local seasonings like; dadawa, iru, ogiri, pepper and related condiments can only be bought with ?100 and above.
Egg is almost ?250 per one within Minna metropolis and environs, while animal protein sources like beef and fish of all kinds have disappeared from the menu of most families because the price have gone beyond their reach.
A bottle of original groundnut (?uli-?uli) oil is ?4, 200, and vegetable oil, depending on the brand is ?3, 500 and above while red oil is also within same range across most of markets visited by our correspondent, the worst compared to previous years.
Meanwhile, it could not be ascertained or otherwise of claims that the Price Control Committee set up by the State government could not work, because merchants/dealers insisted that the state government has no powers to dictate for them.
While accusing the government of politicising sales of fertilizer and other farming inputs, and now trying to arm-twist them in the name of fighting for the hungry masses, the farmers argued that they are facing daunting challenges, including insecurity and flooding, which they said caused unprecedented rise in cost of food production.
