Lagos residents advocate further drop in food prices

After months of steady increase, prices of organic food items have finally begun to decline, much to the delight of Lagos residents. Some residents who spoke to The Guardian yesterday prayed for a steady decline in the prices of food items to cushion the economic stress on households.

One of them, Mary Maduka, a foodstuff seller at Ago Palace Way, Isolo, said: “I reduced the amount of tomatoes, onions, and peppers I was buying into my shop because they were too expensive and not many people were buying them. Since the price started increasing, many people abandoned the fresh ones and bought the sachet versions because they were cheaper.”

According to her, the prices of tomatoes became too excessive. A small plate of tomatoes sold for N2,500-N3,000, and a custard bucket of tomatoes went for N12,500, depending on size and quality.

“However, prices have begun to drop, with a small basket of tomatoes now selling for N44,000 and a big basket for N98,000. It’s still costly, but at least it’s less than it was a few months ago when we couldn’t buy it. Now, you can find a plate of tomatoes for N1,000, unlike when it was between N2,000 and N3,000.”

Also, Cynthia Umeh, a mother of four who lives at Taiwo Street, Ago, expressed relief at the price drop, which she said has allowed her to save money on food expenses.

She said: “The prices of foodstuff have come down a bit. I have four children, so in my house, I can spend over N150,000 a month on food alone, even when we manage. But prices have come down a little now. I’m not paying those outrageous amounts anymore, and it’s beneficial.

“I now have a little bit of money left over from the money I usually keep aside for food, and I use it to do other things like recharge my electricity meter and buy fuel for the generator.”

Another resident in Mushin, Kemi Adesanya, echoed Cynthia’s sentiments: “Yes, things are cheaper now. It’s not like when I was buying one plate of tomatoes that was insufficient to make a meal twice at N2,000.”