Prices of food stuffs steadily increase in Enugu

COSMAS CHUKWU

Enugu residents are continually groaning under the excruciating weight ever increasing prices of services and commodities, and in a special foodstuff prices.The entire is a vicious cycle with increment of the one affecting the other,especially petroleum products prizes and consequently that transport system.

Garri which is one the  staple food in Enugu has appreciated in from 700 Naira per Painter/Custard box of the yellow type by the last quarter of 2021 now sells between 850 to1000 Naira for the same measure of the stuff.

The white Garri sells for between 700 and 900 Naira for the painter, up from 550 to 650 Naira for same measure by the end of last year.

Beans now sells at 2600 Naira per painter for the Potiskum brand while the Iron brand sells between 3000 and 3100 Naira per painter, both have appreciated from last year’s 800 and 1200 Naira respectively.

Then for the king crop,yam,tuber prices have skyrocketed by almost 100 percent with ones that sold previously at between 150 and 200 Naira now sell for between 400 and 450 Naira now.As for the prize type,popularly called Thanksgiving Yam sell between 3000 to 4500 Naira currently.

Maize,wheat and millet prices  have  risen from 800,900,850 Naira respectively to 1300,1500 and 1300 Naira now.

Tomato prices, while fluctuating, is continually on the rise with a basketful of the popular UTC brand sells now between 15000 and 27000 Naira now while pepper sells at 15000 or thereabout per basket.

Egusi (melon) sells at 3200 and 2800 Naira for the manually and machine processed ones respectively.

Ogbono sells at between 25,000  and30,000 for high grade Ado brand.

Vegetables are also on the rise as the leat you can pay for the smallest wrap is 100, up from 20and 50 Naira previously.

This applies to even salt, crayfish, ketchup, tin tomato,and other spices.

Meat is becoming a no go area as beef has moved up 2200/kilo up from 1200/kilo, Pork meat1700/kilo up from 800/kilo,Goat Meat 2300/kilo, up from 1500/kilo;indeed the list goes on.

Iced or frozen fish is now 1600/k while Cat fish is 1400/kilo.

Chicken is fast becoming trace in many people’s shopping list, ditto for tea and other beverages.

Consequently, people are starving and some being malnourish which threaten citizen’s health.

What is very worrisome is that the consumers of these items include public salaried servants whose earnings have not been reviews upwards in the light of these astronomical increase in the cost of food stuff.

More harrowing is that there is no effort at price control.