Ahead of the Yuletide season, price of onion is sky rocketing in Benin, Edo, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The report indicates that apart from the increase in price of onion, costs of other foodstuffs like Garri, red oil, rice, yam and others have also gone up.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent visited some of the shops at Ekiosa, Oba, Uselu and Egor markets in the metropolis on Wednesday to compare prices of the commodity.
It was observed that many could not afford to buy due to a wide margin between what it used to be few months ago and now.
At Ekiosa Market, Mrs Sarah Akpovoka, who sells onions in baskets, attributed the high cost to the upcoming Christmas celebration.
She said a big basket of onion which used to be N25, 000 in 2017 was presently sold for N45, 000.
Madam Agatha Oluwashola, another trader in Oba Market, who sells onions said majority of onions sellers had stopped because of the high cost during wholesale purchase.
According to her, the prevailing market situation and the Yuletide season is also a factor contributed to the increase.
“The onion is too expensive; after I sell this remaining set, I will change business.
“At the moment, everything is expensive, not only foodstuffs,’’ she said.
In Egor Market, a customer, Ms Rose Lacoja, attributed the non-availability of buyers in the market to the fact that foodstuffs were beyond their purchasing power.
According to her, majority of customers no longer buy onions, but rather go for spring onions.
Lacoja noted that the price of onions would not come down soon due to the approaching Christmas and New Year celebrations. (NAN)