By Femi Akinola
Following complaints over hike in the cost of food items by the people of Lagos, the state government has organised and started a ”2o Saturdays” food fair where consumers will get 10% reduction in the cost of food items purchased to ameliorate high cost of food items in the open market.
The food fair started last weekend and it would be staged for the next 20 Saturdays; every Saturday, at the newly constructed Agro Produce Hub, Idi-Oro, Lagos. The food fair will be on till the end of July.
People of Lagos are expected to visit the Agro Produce hub situated at Idi-Oro, Mushin, to partake in the food fair. A consumer who buy 25kg rice at N26, 500 will pay a 10% discount on any food item purchased till the close of the fair.
The State Government promised that consumers who patronize the Agro Produce hub will get fresh food items from farmers across the State at affordable costs and emphasised on the 10% reduction in the cost of any food item purchased at the specialised Agro produced market.
While speaking shortly after the food fair was declared opened, the General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, Mr. Dapo Lakulehin, said the idea behind the fair was to bring farmers who are producing different fresh products from the nooks and crannies of the state to display their Agricultural produce adding that the fair will improve the economy of the people and reduce the cost of food in Lagos.
Speaking further, Lakulehin assured residents in Lagos of freshness and high quality of food items that will be on display at the venue of the fair.
He said, ‘There were agricultural officers attached to all the value chains who do the quality control of all the products on display at the fair.”
Lakulehin called on farmers in the state to see the food fair as a golden opportunity and urged them to participate.
He asked all farmers who are yet to key into the programme to reach out to the State Ministry of Agriculture to be able to feature their farm produce at the fair.