ASHENEWS reports that the prices of fruit and perishable produce have skyrocketed in Kebbi state causing apprehension to residents of Kebbi state who patronize these produce during Ramadan.
This increase, according to traders, has caused low patronage from residents and is foreseen to cause lower patronage during the Ramadan period due to the economic situation.
A survey by ASHENEWS at Haliru Abdu Area and Kara market in the metropolis has shown that prices have skyrocketed by about 25 per cent in the past two weeks.
According to the survey, a piece of apple is now sold at N500 as against its old price of N300, a ball of watermelon is sold for N1000 as against N700 while a measure of oranges costs N400 as against N200, and a bunch of bananas attracts as much as N1,000 as against N700.
Audio – Ramadan: Fruits, vegetable price surge in Kebbi
An average-sized pineapple is now sold for N1,300 while pawpaw was sold at N700 as against its old prices of N700 and N400 respectively. Similarly, tomato, pepper, onions, and Irish potatoes indicated similar increases in prices.
A trader, Mansur Abubakar laments the hike in price due to the current hardship the populace faced in the country, saying, “This period our business is at risk because there is no patronage and at the same time the price goes high every day. Fruits and vegetables are popular produce during the month of Ramadan, maybe, this is the reason for the sudden surge in prices.”
He affirmed that prices are likely to increase further due to the high cost of transportation and poor market conditions.
Another fruit trader, Nasiru Bello, said the level at which the price of fruits is increasing is alarming and something he had not seen in the past, “I have been in this business for about four to five years now, in my life, I have never seen this kind situation, vegetables are very cost this time around, we can only be grateful to God on how our business is going on, today, we loss, tomorrow we gain.”
Kasimu Aliyu, another trader also expressed concern about how markets are going as he called on the authorities concerned to look into the possible way out of the menace.
“I have stopped counting profits since the beginning of this year because the market is not marketing well, what do we do except be grateful to God but hope to see this come to an end.”
A resident in Haliru Abdu Area, Aminu Haruna, decried the trend as he blamed the traders for unilateral hikes in prices adding that most families in the area had dropped putting fruits in their shopping menu as they could not afford exorbitant prices at the market.
He urged the traders to reduce the prices of the produce to enable more Muslim families begin the Ramadan fast in a happy mood.
Also commenting, an Islamic cleric, Umar Ahmad admonished traders against using Ramadan fasting to exploit consumers, “Some traders increase prices of produce before and during the Holy month of Ramadan.
“It is a sacred period to seek God’s face through fasting, hence he charged Muslims to take it seriously. Increase your benevolent acts, be generous with whatever you have, give out more, and increase your charity,” he said.
