Some dealers of perishable goods in Bauchi State have attributed the hike in price of perishable food items to scarcity and high cost of transportation of goods.

Prices of tomatoes, pepper and onions, among other commodities, have recently gone above rooftops in the state.

Some of the dealers on Saturday in Bauchi said that perishable goods were transported into the state from other states and neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

Abdullahi Maigambaye, the chairman perishable dealers association, Muda Lawal Market, said they normally experience scarcity of perishable products at the commencement of the rainy season.

“We mostly transport the goods from other states such as Katsina where we bring in pepper, tomatoes from Adamawa, Plateau, Cameroon through Gembu in Taraba State and onions from Yobe.

“We don’t have them in Bauchi. The removal of subsidy on petroleum also compounded the problem by causing rise in price of transportation of the goods into the state,” he said.

On his part, Malam Sani Abubakar explained that the price of the goods has risen almost two times compared to the previous prices.

A basket of tomatoes which was about N4,500 to N5,000 a month back is now N17,500; Pepper sold at N10,000 now goes for N20,000, while a bag of onions that cost N10,000 is now N30,000.

“The situation for both the sellers and buyers is pathetic. That is how we found ourselves. But in the next two months it will normalise, In-shaa Allah,” he said.

A resident, Malam Hamidu Soro, said the rise in prices of perishable goods had forced people to look for alternatives.

“People hardly buy fresh pepper and tomato now, they go for the dried one which is more accessible and cheaper. Some go for the tin and packet of tomatoes and pepper,” he said.

Another resident, Dinatu William, lamented over the hike in price of the perishables in the market, saying fresh tomatoes and pepper are beyond commoners.

“Fresh pepper and tomato make food delicious but with the way the prices have increased, I have to look for alternatives that are not a choice.

“Things are difficult and there is no money; everywhere is so tight, that sometimes I find it so difficult to buy the fresh ones, I use any available alternative to cook my soup,” she said.

(NAN)