By James Moses (9News Nigeria -Jos)
Nigerians have been complaining about inflation and how they’ve been forced to forgo most necessities of life.
Yam, a root of a tropical plant that is cooked, is beyond the reach of the low income earners, as a result of high escalation in price of consumable goods and effect of transportation cost.
To compound issues at the Lafia Yam market in Nasarawa State, 50 tubers of old Yam recently sold for N100,000 at wholesale as against N40,000 in June.
Now in Jos, Yam sellers are complaining bitterly that they are unable to make sales because customers cannot afford their goods.
Chundung Paulinus, a Yam seller in Yandoya market, Jos North Local Government Area, called on the federal and state governments to regulate the constant price increase of foodstuffs to minimize the sufferings of Nigerians.
She also appealed to the government at all levels to provide farmers with modern farm inputs while ensuring the timely distribution of fertilizers to boost food production nationwide.
Ms Paulinus said five tubers of yam now sell for N8,000 to N10,000 as against N2,000 to N3,000 in June this year, depending on sizes.
Labaran Hassan, another Yam seller in Yandoya, Jos North Local Government, said the drastic increase in price of yam had really affected his business, adding that he was gradually losing his capital.
According to him, most farmers don’t go to farm anymore due to insecurity,and those who managed to plant will pay the gunmen to be able to harvest -The cost of transportation and pesticides.
“All these go to the cost of production, and in the end, farmers need to increase prices to make ends meet”, he said.
Hassan, said he has been in business for over 30 years, confessed that the business is no longer profitable as inflation is making it difficult for people to buy yam.
“Sometimes we are forced to cut yams into pieces to sell, we sell small slices of yam between N500 to N600, depending on the size -We are appealing to government to come to our aid, as the scenario is scaring”, he said.
Asabe Yohanna, another Yam seller in Bukuru Market, Jos South Local Government, expressed her frustration and lamented deeply on poor patronage, saying yam was now beyond the reach of the ordinary man.
“We don’t know where to start from, last year, we sold a bundle of yams (five pieces) for N2,000, and now we are selling between N7,000 and N8,000, depending on the size.
“People are not patronizing us again, we are experiencing low patronage in sales. I’ve been here since morning, and I have not sold anything. Everybody is complaining, and it is not our fault”, she said.
Rebecca Adudu, another Yam seller in Building Material market, Jos South Local Government also lamented on the drastic increment both on consumable goods and essential commodities, saying cost of transportation is the major factor affecting prices of food item.
“The major causes for constant increment of prices of goods, especially consumables is as a result of high cost of transportation, as we pay more on transportation than the products.
“We are begging the government to come to our aid by reducing the cost of petroleum product, as it is directly affecting every household”, she said.
-9News Nigeria.
