Pepper, tomato scarcity hit Ilorin as Eid-el-Kabir approaches
Pepper, a common spice in the cuisines of many Nigerians, has suddenly become a scarce commodity in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital as Eid-el-Kabir approaches.
In a market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday at the Mandate market, in Ilorin West LGA where pepper is sold in large quantities, the commodity has become expensive in the last few weeks.
NAN reports that the product had become scarce, with little or none in sight, including tomatoes.
Some pepper sellers attributed the scarcity to flooding and pest attacks in the North where pepper is grown in large quantities.
Mallam Jamilu Isa said they were expecting the vehicles that bring pepper and onions, but they were informed that there was no
Big basket now sells N175,000 goods for them to load. in the previous year and food
He lamented that all had been inflation reached an all-time high washed away by flood and those of 40.53 per cent in April of 2024. not washed were affected by pests. In a visit to ram dealers, they
A small container of tomatoes lamented low sales as buyers formerly sold for N150 now sells complained of the high prices of for N2,000 while a wastebin basket rams. formerly sold for between N1,500 A ram seller, Mr Azeez and N2,000 now goes for N15,000, Abdullahi, said the ram that went and big basket of N10,000 now for N50,000 a few years back is sells for N175,000 and above. sold for between N170,000 and
Also, a basket of Scotch Bonnets N200,000 and above this year. popularly called “rodo” sold for He identified the high cost N1,500 before, now goes for of feeds and transportation as N12,000. responsible for the hike in the
Similarly, a bag of onions price of the ram. now goes for N75,000 as against A prospective customer, Mr N50,000 and below that it was Yahaya Usman said with the sold. exorbitant price, some of his
According to the National friends are planning to contribute Bureau of Statistics, food prices in money to buy a cow and share Nigeria increased 40.53 per cent in which is also acceptable in Islam as April of 2024 over the same month an alternative to rams. (NAN)