Moses Uwagbale
Prices of onions and other perishable produce have crashed in Kano, due to the market glut following fresh supplies from the farm.
A check at Kofar Wambai and Rimi markets in Kano metropolis on Sunday, indicated that prices of perishable produce such as onions, tomato and pepper had dropped by over 200 per cent.
A measure of onions was sold at N100 as against its previous price of N250, tomato now cost N100 and pepper N150 as against N400 and N600 respectively.
Some of the traders attributed the drop in prices to the improvement in the supply of the produce from farms to the markets in the area.
Malam Ibrahim Danborno, said prices were down due massive supply of the produce to the markets in the area.
Danborno said that prices would further depreciate inview of the increase in the supply of the produce.
Another trader, Sabiu Ismaila, said the market was flooded with the produce due to bumper harvest recorded by farmers this dry season.
Ismaila, however, said that prices would appreciate in the coming weeks inview of the increasing demand of the produce.
On his part, Abubakar Danladi, a tomato grower, said that farmers were forced to sale the produce at harvest to avoid counting losses.
Danladi noted that lack of modern preservation technologies was exposing farmers to losses.
“Onions, tomato and other perishable produce could not be preserve under harsh weather condition, hence the drop in prices.
“Lack of modern preservation technologies is making perishable farming less attractive,” he said.
The farmer called for introduction and training of farmers on modern preservation techniques to protect them and encourage productivity.
Also, Amina Ibrahim and Bello Ahmed, some of the residents, expressed delight over the development and hope that prices would further go down in view of the high yields recorded by farmers.
“I am happy that prices of the perishable crashed in the market and hope that grain prices will also crash.”
