Prices of root and tuber crops like yam and Irish potatoes have gone up in some markets in the FCT ahead of the Sallah celebration.
However, prices of foodstuffs like rice, beans, and garri have remained stable. A market survey on Wednesday in Abuja confirmed this information.
A set of yam which consists of five tubers is sold for N5, 500, or N6, 000 depending on the size of the tuber. The same set of yam was sold before now between N3, 000 and N4, 000.
Musa Ibrahim, a yam seller who sells yam on a cart confirmed the increment in the price adding that yam is now very expensive.
Ibrahim said a piece of yam tuber is now sold for N1, 200 or N1,000 up from the old price of N500.
“I don’t have a tuber that can be sold for a lesser amount; these yams are white yams, they are not the type that is good outside and bad inside.”
Abdul-rasheed Bisola, a buyer also lamented the increment saying that unlike before when a piece of yam was N500, one would be lucky to buy one for N800 now. He added that the expensive yams were also small in size and dry.
Irish potato is another expensive tuber crop in the market, according to a report.
Adamu Suleiman, a potato seller in the popular Nyanya Market also confirmed this.
“A basket of Irish potato is N2, 500, and this same basket was sold before now, for N1, 700 or less. I do not cultivate this crop, I usually travel to Plateau State to buy and bring down to Abuja here.”
According to him, the cost of potatoes in Plateau State is also high because this is not the season when the crop flourishes on the farm.
Issa Danjuma, a trader at Karu Market said he sold a dustbin basket of Irish potato for N2, 600 adding that he used to sell it for N2, 200.
Danjuma also attributed the increase in prices of tubers such as yam and potato, to the rainy season saying they did not grow well during the rain.
Bassey Glory, a customer said she bought the small basket of Irish potato for N400, adding that she used to buy it between N250 and N300.
Glory lamented that potatoes sold in dustbin baskets were the most annoying because the sellers deliberately put the big tubers on top but when the basket was emptied, most of the pieces underneath were tiny.
