By George George Idowu
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported a significant rise in the prices of staple food items, including rice, garri, tomatoes, beans, and yams, across the country in the month of April, 2024.
According to the NBS’s Selected Food Prices Watch report released on Friday in Abuja, the average price of one kilogram of local rice surged by 155.93% from N546.76 in April 2023 to N1,399.34 in April 2024. Month-on-month, the price increased by 3.47% from N1,340.74 in March 2024.
The price of one kilogram of white garri rose by 134.98% year-on-year from N362.50 to N851.81, with a month-on-month increase of 13.59% from N749.89 in March 2024.
Tomato prices saw a 131.58% year-on-year increase from N485.10 to N1,123.41 per kilogram, and a 17.06% month-on-month rise from N959.68 in March 2024.
The cost of one kilogram of brown beans climbed by 125.43% year-on-year from N615.65 to N1,387.90. Month-on-month, the price rose by 12.44% from N1,234.40 in March 2024.
Yam prices also spiked, with one kilogram rising by 154.19% year-on-year from N444.69 to N1,130.37, and a month-on-month increase of 5.76% from N1,068.78 in March 2024.
State analysis revealed that Niger had the highest average price for one kilogram of local rice at N1,785.47, while Benue had the lowest at N993.72.
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Bayelsa recorded the highest price for one kilogram of white garri at N1,095.26, with Benue again having the lowest at N494.47.
Delta had the highest price for tomatoes at N1,851.19 per kilogram, compared to the lowest in Zamfara at N547.22.
Abuja reported the highest price for brown beans at N2,288.36 per kilogram, with Yobe having the lowest at N818.03.
The highest price for yams was found in Cross River at N1,797.15 per kilogram, while the lowest was in Bauchi at N638.64.
Regional analysis indicated that the South-West had the highest average price for local rice at N1,615.21 per kilogram, while the North-West had the lowest at N1,163.13.
The highest prices for white garri were recorded in the South-South and South-West regions at N1,031.19 and N982.42 respectively, with the North-West region seeing the lowest at N681.77.
The South-South region also had the highest average price for tomatoes at N1,689.40 per kilogram, followed by the South-West at N1,429.06, while the North-West recorded the lowest price at N615.54.
The North-Central and South-South regions reported the highest prices for brown beans at N1,594.84 and N1,579.64, respectively, with the North-West having the lowest at N966.90.
