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Garri, Rice Prices Skyrocket By Over 50% In Enugu

Published

10 months ago

Mar 3, 2024.

Prices of garri (cassava flakes) and rice surge by over 50% in Enugu metropolis
A cup of garri now costs N150, up from N120 in January
A 50kg bag of foreign rice now sells for N78,000 – N80,000, up from N55,000 – N60,000

Eko Hot Blog reports that the residents of Enugu metropolis are grappling with soaring prices of essential foodstuffs, as a market survey conducted on Sunday revealed that the costs of garri (cassava flakes) and rice have increased by more than 50%.

According to Mrs. Bridget Ugwu, a garri seller at New Market, a cup of garri now costs N150, a significant increase from N120 in January. Similarly, a 5-litre painter of garri is sold for between N2,200 and N2,700, while a bag of the produce currently costs N29,000, up from N18,500 in January.

“The only way to reduce the high cost of garri would be by securing farmlands and stopping exportation of the produce to other countries,” Ugwu stated, attributing the price hike to the exportation of garri, which has affected its availability in the country.

The situation is no different for rice, as a rice seller, Mr. Ochuba Ozor, at Mayor Market, revealed that a 50-kilogramme bag of foreign rice now costs between N78,000 and N80,000, depending on the brand, a substantial increase from the previous range of N55,000 to N60,000.

Ozor warned that the high cost of rice in the country would persist if the government did not urgently address food insecurity, adding that the traffic of buyers in his shop had reduced since prices of every item increased.

One buyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the high cost of living in the country to the removal of subsidies from petroleum products.

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