Business
Grim Christmas as food, household items hit roof top

By ADEBAYO OBAJEMU
Christmas is just less than a week away, and much expectancy and anxiety hang in the air.
There is enough reasons for the anxiety as well as apprehension, much of it has to do with economic situation in the country, the high cost of living and rising prices of basic foodstuffs amidst dire straits of most Nigerians.
Business Hallmark’s investigations and interaction with traders and consumers reveal that the rising prices of food stuffs especially yam, rice, cassava among others are blamed on insecurity in some parts of the country, especially the North which has made it almost impossible for farmers to plant and access their farmlands.
This situation has made ordinary people who are battling daily needs to groan over the astronomical increase in the price of food items.
When Business Hallmark visited some markets in the Lagos metropolis such as Oshodi, Mushin, Mile 2 and Ile Epo along Oshodi- Abeokuta expressway, a 30kg of palm oil which used to sell for N8,000 now sells for N24,000 while a 25kg of groundnut oil that used to sell for between N5,500 and N7,500 now sells for N28,000.
In the case of ordinary people’s quickfix- gari, a 20kg bag of it that used to sell for between N5,000 and N6,000, the price is now N14,000.
It will now depends on the bargaining skill of the buyer and the mood of the seller to achieve N50 reduction in price.
Across all the markets visited a 50 kilogrammes of yam flour (elubo) has gone beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians as it is now sold at N100,000 while a 50kg bag of beans has made it to between N70,000 and N100,000, depending on the type and location of sale.
Many Nigerians who normally resort to frozen chicken once the price of live chicken shots up may be in for hard time as a carton of chicken that used to sell for between N7,000 and N8,000 now sells for N17,000 while the same quantity of turkey has risen from between N7,000 and N8,000 to N24,000.
When Business Hallmark visited the corner where live chicken are on display, depending on the size, the price ranges between N5000 to N8000.
More frightening is a carton of croaker fish which has moved from N18,000 to N40,000 while that of ‘Titus’ fish has also found its way to N30,000.
A kilogramme of semolina now goes for N6,000 in place of the former price of N2,500.
In most homes, children normally consume noodles in the afternoon, being considered a light food, now a carton of it that used to go for between N2,700 (small type) and N4,500 (big one) is now on the rooftop price of N12,000, while a carton of spaghetti is now N6,500 from N2,200, just as a 25kg gallon of kerosene now sells for N10,500.
The only silver lining could be noticed in what seems a downward review in the prices of some soup ingredients like a basket of tomatoes which once sold for N30,000, but now sells for N12,000, while on the other hand, a bag of pepper (rodo) that used to go for between N12,000 and N15,000 has come down to N7,000 and N8,000, a bag of bawa, another specie of pepper, also sells for the same price, depending on the quality.
As the Christmas approaches, there are little signs heralding this, as the usual hustle and bustle, crowded markets swarming with buyers and welcoming sellers are relatively absent.
The usual festive air that one normally notices when Christmas is less than a week away is largely absent, and one can be noticed is harried looks, bleaky eyes and wrinkles on the eyebrows that indicate worries and anxiety of traders who are yet to see quality patronage.
Mama Shikira, a frozen food seller at Daleko market told this newspaper that ” I have never seen an Xmas like this in my 55 years on earth. As I speak now, I have not seen one customer coming to buy a pack of frozen chicken from me. At least last year at the same period, despite complaint that sales were not encouraging, I still made enough profits. I’m just praying that this administration should go, it has brought enough badluck.”
She said many families are crying out over the high cost of foodstuff and other basic items they would need to have a memorable celebration.
“As I speak I have not bought rice and the usual foodstuffs for the Christmas, and I’m the breadwinner, my husband has no job after he was sacked three years ago”, she said , shaking her head in resignation and dismay.
Another trader, this time, a retailer of food items whose shop is adjacent to mama Shikira, Mrs. Bose Bamidele, said sales have been slow and far between, ” unlike last year, this year is not what we expected, patronage has been minimal, and we can not blame the consumers, there is no money.”
“I usually buy enough stock of groundnut oil from Kings to Laziz, Mamador and Power oil for the Xmas knowing full well that I can make brisk busineess and profits because of the season, and the prices ranged from N4,000 to N5,500 for a five litre keg. Right now, the same keg sells for N7, 000. I cannot even afford to stock as much as I would have wanted to. Our prayers are that baba Buhari should go, this administration has killed our market. See that mallam selling peppers, when you ask him why things are like this, he will tell you insecurity in the North.”
“Even the prices of basic condiments for cooking have increased drastically. Ducros curry and thyme that used to cost between N100 and N150 now costs N300 each. The content in the containers has also reduced. As a strategy, I have focused on stocking the sachets because that is what most people request for now. We just hope that it doesn’t get too bad because food is very important and we must eat”, Mrs Bamidele said.
At the Daleko and other markets, a bag of rice sells between N26,000 to N28,000 depending on the brand.
A rice dealer at the market, Mr. Femi Adesanya told this newspaper that a bag of rice which went for N18,000 in the by this time last year now sells for N28, 000. He added that a bag of beans that used to go for N25, 000 late last year now costs between N60,000 and N100,000.
“Also, sachets of beverages (e.g milk, milo) that sold at N700 now goes for N1,200; five kilogramme of cooking gas that sold at N1,500 now goes for N3,200. Bread that we used to buy between N350 and N400 now goes for N700. Almost all the prices of consumables have doubled within the last three months,” he said.
At Mile 12, a dealer in yam, Mohammed Yusuf , insisted insecurity is at the root of rising prices, adding that he used to sell five tubers of yam at between N1, 500 and N2,000 last year, but now sells same between N4,000 and N6,000 depending on the size.
The high cost of the items has forced consumers, especially parents, to adjust their spending plans less than a week to Christmas.
Joseph Adetona, a mechanic at Ile Epo along Oshodi-Abeokuta expressway told this medium that ” As I speak I have not bought clothes for my children. I have let them see reason they would have to wear their old clothes. I’m trying to see how we can purchase frozen chicken instead of the live one that we normally use for Xmas. Just across there, a medium size chicken goes for N5000, and I have a family of six, so the best for me is go for frozen chicken.”
Another parent, Janet Ayodeji said her family might not share food to many of its neighbours this Christmas as it had done for years.
“Every Christmas season, my family always gives food to our neighbours. We even give to those on other streets, to show them, love. With the way the prices of foodstuffs have been rising, I don’t think that will be possible this year. It’s part of managing and rationing the available resources. We may also prepare one type of food unlike last year’s Christmas when we had both pounded yam and rice at the same time,” she said.
Many Nigerians have expressed lack of faith in the data of the Federal Office of Statistics following reports of reduction in inflation and lowering prices of food stuffs the agency rolled out in its latest report.
They are saying the report was doctored and not a true reflection of reality.
They were aghast at the news of the plummet in the nation’s inflation rate in October 2021 to 15.99 per cent from 16.63 per cent recorded in September with a pinch of salt last Monday.
Although the rate has continued to decline in the past seven months after hitting 18.17 per cent in March 2021, Nigerians appear not to feel the impact. This is even as the Christmas season beckons.