The rapid surge in grain prices, which led to some traders’ panic buying, has alarmed several Katsina State citizens.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) inquiry on Thursday at various important grain markets, including Dandume, Dayi, and Charanchi in Katsina, revealed that the price spike began approximately two weeks ago.
Maize, guinea corn, beans, millet, and soyabeans are the grains most significantly impacted by the increase.
They attribute the rise to certain farmers who just harvested their maize, millet, and soyabeans while some fields in the state still have guinea corn and beans.
People were worried about this move, especially the impoverished who rely on vegetables as their main source of nutrition.
According to NAN, a bag of corn that was once sold for N18,000 now costs N20,000, while it is sometimes offered for N22,000 and higher.
Instead of costing N14, 000, a bag of white guinea corn now costs N16,000. A bowl (referred to as a “mudu”) of white guinea corn costs N400. Red guinea corn, which was once N16,000, is now N18, 000, and its mudu costs N450.
The poll also revealed that one mudu now costs between N750 and N800, while a bag of beans that was once sold for about N29,000 now costs N32,000.
Previously priced at N18, 000, a bag of millet now costs N20, 800, while the mudu is now N520.
NAN learned that other markets in the state have greater prices for the stated produce.
Although price increases are not new, Alhaji Haruna Muhammad, a grain dealer, said the situation is unsettling.
“We observed some very significant grain purchases made by some customers in Dandume Market.
Some individuals blamed the change on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to redesign Naira notes.
A respondent named Malam Aliyu Umar explained the price increase by pointing out that less crops, notably maize, were grown during the wet season due to the high cost of fertilizer.
He declared, “They want to purchase the stuff, keep it, bring it out, and sell it at higher prices in the future.
An interested party named Alhaji Abdurrahman Sale claimed that the country’s security issues contributed to the increase in the prices of agriculture products because many farmers were prevented from engaging in farming operations.
Therefore, he urged the populace to keep praying to Allah for relief and an end to the unrest that had plagued the state and the nation as a whole. (NAN)
