Prices of potatoes have dropped in Kano metropolis amid low patronage of the produce, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.
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A check by NAN at Yankura, Sabon Gari market on Thursday showed that prices of potatoes and other perishables had decreased by about 50 per cent.
A big size bag of potatoes sold for N23,000 and a basket sold at N1,200 as against its previous prices of N40,000 and N2,500 in the past two months.
Tomatoes indicated similar decrease in prices as a big size basket sold at N8,000 as againts N15,000.
However, prices of pepper and onions had shot up as a bag sold at N25,000 while onions goes for N22,000 per bag, as against it’s old prices of N12,000, respectively.
Traders at the market attributed the situation to the significant increase in the supply of potatoes and tomato to the markets.
Mr Shehu Aminu, a potato dealer, said prices were going down daily due to increase in the supply of the produce.
“The market is flooded with fresh supplies from the farms, and people are not buying despite drop in prices.
“The COVID-19 pandemic also affected the market condition, potatoes and other perishables are being transported from Jos to Kano.
Also, Mahmud Hassan, a tomato seller, said he was not making good sales, adding that the market condition was discouraging.
Another trader, Umar Musa, noted that few customers now patronised fresh pepper dut to its exorbitant prices.
“Customers now prefer dry pepper due to its cheaper prices despite cumbersome processes,” he said.
Mrs Halima Bashir, an eatery operator, decried the high cost of pepper and blamed traders for the hike in prices.