ENUGU- The prices of fruits including banana, watermelon, grapes and pineapple have recorded more than 60 per cent increase in Enugu metropolis, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The NAN Correspondent, who conducted a market survey in some markets on Tuesday in Enugu, observed that prices of fruits have increased almost beyond average Nigerian.
The survey showed that a bunch of banana which sold for ₦1,500 between February and April, now goes for ₦3,500.
Similarly, the current price of a full bunch of banana is sold for between N30,000 and ₦45,000 depending on the size as against ₦12,000 and N20,000 sold in March and April.
NAN reports that a head of watermelon is sold for between N3,500 and ₦6,000 depending on the size while a pack of grapes is sold for N6,000.
Also a head of pineapple is sold for between N2,500 and N5,000 also depending on the size just as a small basket of four mangoes goes for N1,000.
Mrs Ugonna Uche, a banana seller at the Aria New Market, said that the only way to reduce the high cost of fruits would be by securing farmlands and reducing exportation of the produce to other countries.
Uche said that exportation of the commodity had affected its availability in the country saying that it was difficult for average Nigerian to afford fruits in their homes.
A watermelon dealer at Ogbete Main Market, Mrs Theresa Ozzie, said that the high cost of watermelon would persist if the government failed to act urgently to address food insecurity.
Ozzie said that the traffic of buyers of fruits in his shop had reduced since prices of every item increased.
Ms Chioma Chinedu, who makes smoothies and fruit juice, attributed the rise in prices to the high cost of fruits in many outlets.
According to her, we used to sell a cup of watermelon juice for N1,000 last year but now it has doubled to N2,000, same as pineapple and orange juice.
“For smoothies, it depends on the ingredients but an average smoothie cost between N4,000 and N5,000 for a cup. The cost of fruits has been extremely high,” she said.
A fruit trader at the Garriki Market, Awkunanaw, Musa Ahmed, attributed the rising cost to insurgency in the North, high transportation costs and multiple taxes.
Another trader, Mr Clement Ango, blamed the cost to climate change especially for seasonal fruits like bananas, mangoes and grapes.
Some of the buyers told NAN in separate interviews that many people could no longer afford fruits adding that it posed a serious threat to their health.
Mr Vincent Chukwu, a civil servant, said he found it difficult to buy bananas these days due to its higher costs.
Chukwu noted that high cost of living in the country occasioned by the subsidy removal of petroleum products had affected prices of every goods and services in the country.
He urged the governments to address the issue urgently to avoid outbreaks of diseases due to lack of balanced diets. (NAN)
