Some Lagos State residents, in separate interviews on Sunday, reiterated that food prices remain stable, aside from beans, despite the ongoing Ramadan.

They noted that, unlike the previous Ramadan, when food prices increased, this year seems different.

Samuel Nwabueze, a foodstuff trader at Iyana-Ipaja market, said the prices of food items were stable, except for the sudden increase in beans.

“There is more or less a 10 per cent increase in the price of beans since Ramadan started. As of last month, we were still buying a 50kg bag of beans at N60,000, but currently the same quantity sells between N70,000 and N75,000,” Mr Nwabueze said.

He also disclosed that the price of dried pepper has risen, with a bag that used to cost N100,000 now costing N120,000. He said this was the same for melon seed, which rose from N250,000 to N300,000.

On her part, Miracle Akuoma, a resident of the Alimosho area of the state, expressed happiness with the stability of food prices this season and urged the government to sustain the trend.

“In recent years, this is the cheapest we have bought food items during the Ramadan period. Even fruits and vegetables that are usually expensive at this period are really very affordable,” she said.

Ms Akuoma added, “Even the price of corn has dropped; I bought a paint bucket at the rate of N1,200 as against N2,000 or N2,500 we used to buy.”

Also, Cornelia Eshomameh, a resident of the Ketu/Alapere area of the state, said that, aside from a slight hike in the cost of tomatoes, peppers, and beans, the prices of other foodstuffs remained stable.

“Last month, I bought three plastic paints of tomatoes for N5,000, but just yesterday I could only buy two paints of tomatoes for N6,000.

“That was the only difference in the price, but as regards every other thing I bought, the prices remained stable. I even bought a basket of onions for N5,000, a very fair price, I must say,” Ms Eshomameh said.

Another resident in the Dopemu area of the state, Tope Babalola, said the major price hike is in the beans.

“I still bought a paint bucket of beans at N3,500 last month, but now the same quantity sells at N5,500,” she said, noting that “A basket of tomatoes still sold at N18,000 last week, and it is a very fair deal for this period.”

However, an agricultural expert and farmer, Akin Alabi, attributed the stability of food prices to the opening of borders to food imports.

“Although opened for six months at first, the extension of the border opening for food imports has resulted in a drop in food prices.

“So, it is no surprise that food prices remained slightly stable even during Ramadan. We sure hope the food price stability continues,” Mr Alabi said.

(NAN)