Residents of Plateau, including farmers and traders, have attributed the high of cost foodstuff in the state to increase in transport fare.
Some of the residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Jos, also said that the continuous devaluation of the naira had also contributed to the hike in prices of foodstuff.
Mr John Dasar, a farmer, said that the high cost of farm inputs, such as fertiliser, herbicides, and seedlings, including other costs of production, were responsible for increasing prices of foodstuff.
Dasar said the unstable exchange rate had also contributed to the rise in the cost of farming, resulting in the hike in prices of food items.
“This year, many people went into farming, but the cost of farm inputs remain so high.
“Fertiliser was sold for between N30, 000 to N40, 000 in the market.
“Government did its best to provide fertiliser at affordable rate, but politicians hijacked the process, and it got to only few real farmers.
“So, with the high cost of inputs and other expenditure, the farmers will still want to make profit, hence the reason prices of foodstuff is still high,” he explained.
He explained that the cost of inputs was also affecting other types of farming, such as poultry, piggery, among others.
On her part, Mrs Comfort Alex, a trader, said that the high cost of transport fare due to the removal of fuel subsidy was responsible for the increase in prices of foodstuff.
Alex explained that food crops were usually transported from the suburbs where they were produced, leading to added expenses that were being passed down to consumers.
“Transport fare has been on the increase since the removal of fuel subsidy.
“And you won’t blame the transporters because the price of fuel goes up on a daily basis.
“From what I know, they buy fuel here in Plateau between N1, 300 and N1, 500 per litre.
“So, we pay high to transport these goods to the market, and we also want to make little gain from the business,” she said.
However, Mr Solomon John, a civil servant, said that the illicit activities of middlemen had contributed to the hike in prices of food items.
John said that the influence of market forces and competition among retailers has also driven the prices up.
“We cannot also rule out the fact that people are also buying these items and storing them for the future.
“This move is creating artificial scarcity and making the prices remain on the high side,’” John said. (NAN)
