Nigerians express worry as price of garri skyrockets to N72,000 per bag

The price of garri has reportedly reached record highs in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.

Garri, a staple food in Nigeria, was once one of the most affordable items. However, prices have now risen to N1,100 per measure and N72,000 per 100kg bag.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that Nigeria's inflation rate surged to 33.2% in March, with food inflation reaching 40.01%.

The increasing inflation has impacted the prices of commodities in the markets and has placed Nigeria among countries globally with high food inflation.

Some traders and buyers at the Katako market have been sharing their thoughts on the pricing with Daily Trust.

Hassan Maigari, a seller, explained that several factors are contributing to the rise in the commodity's price.

He said: "One is the high demand for garri at the moment because a lot people have resorted to it as substitutes to other varieties of foods that are more expensive. I have been in this business for the past 30 years and I have never experienced this kind of price surge. Today, I sold a bag of 100kg at N72,000.”

Abdullahi Ibrahim, another Garri seller said: “Those who sell the product to us in the farms also contribute to the price hike because processors are deliberately delaying processing the product in order to sell at a higher price, which often results in a surge in demand."

Ibrahim further elaborated that customers are unaware of the challenges they face, expecting prices to drop simply because other commodity prices have decreased.

According to the sellers, the price of the product may continue to rise as the rainy season has not fully begun, traditionally causing prices to rise.

With schools reopening and farmers expected to return to their fields soon, the situation may worsen the price hike.