The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has stated that the prices of rice, garri, tomato, beans, yam and other food items have risen in April 2024.

In NBS' Selected Food Prices Watch report for April 2024 released in Abuja on Friday, May 24, 2024, the average price of 1kg of local rice went up by 155.93 per cent from N546.76 recorded in April 2023 to N1, 399.34 in April 2024.

Parts of the report read: “On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of local rice increased by 3.47 per cent in April from the N1, 340.74 recorded in March 2024.”

The report further stated that the average price of 1kg of white garri increased by 134.98% on a year-on-year basis from N362.50 recorded in April 2023 to N851.81 in April 2024.

The report further stated: “On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of white garri increased by 13.59 per cent from the N749.89 recorded in March 2024.”

“On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 17.06 per cent from the N959.68 recorded in March 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of brown beans increased by 12.44 per cent from N1, 234.40 recorded in March 2024 to N1,387.90 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 5.76 per cent from N1, 068.78 recorded in March 2024 to N1, 130.37 in April 2024.”

On state profile analysis, the report showed that in April 2024, the highest average price of 1kg of local rice was recorded in Niger at N1, 785.47, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N993.72

It said that Bayelsa recorded the highest average price of 1kg of white garri at N1, 095.26, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N494.47.

The NBS said that the highest average price of 1kg of tomato was recorded in Delta at N1, 851.19, while the lowest price was recorded in Zamfara at N547.22

According to the report, Abuja recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N2, 288.36, while the lowest was reported in Yobe at N818.03.

It said Cross River recorded the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber at N 1,797.15, while the least average price was recorded in Bauchi at N638.64.

Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg of local rice was highest in the South-West at N1, 615.21, followed by the South-South at N1, 564.85.

“The lowest price was recorded in the North-West at N1, 163.13.”

The South-South and South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of white garri at N1,031.19 and N 982.42, respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-West at N681.77.

The report said that the South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of tomato at N1, 689.40 followed by the South-West at N1,429.06, while the North-West recorded the lowest price at N615.54.

The NBS said also that the North-Central and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at N1, 594.84 and N1, 579.64, respectively.

“The North-West recorded the lowest price of 1kg of brown beans at N966.9.”