Plantain merchants in Zuba Fruit Market, Abuja, have attributed the rising value of the staple meals to seasonal provide shortages, explaining that the commodity is at the moment in its annual lean season regardless of a normal decline in meals costs throughout the nation.
Findings by THE WHISTLER throughout a go to to the market revealed that merchants and shoppers are paying extra for plantain as provides from main producing areas shrink, pushing up costs to at most N220,000 per dozen, thus limiting availability.
Whereas many meals objects have recorded value reductions in comparison with final yr, plantain merchants in Zuba informed THE WHISTLER that the commodity has remained comparatively costly as a result of manufacturing usually drops between March and July, a interval they describe because the “dry season” for the crop.
Plantain is usually planted on the onset of the wet season, between March and Might in southern Nigeria and April to June within the Center Belt, with the crop requiring between 9 and 15 months to mature.
As a end result, provides typically tighten between Might and August when shares from earlier harvests start to dwindle whereas newly planted crops are but to succeed in the market.
Transportation prices and different seasonal challenges additional contribute to larger costs in main markets.
“This isn’t the season. For us merchants, that is the dry season of plantain. Which spun between March and July yearly. So that is the height season the place plantain will get costly,” a dealer, popularly often known as MallamAbdul, informed THE WHISTLER.
In response to him, plantain bought in Zuba, the wholesale marketplace for plantain in Abuja comes from completely different producing areas, every with distinct traits and market enchantment.
He recognized the extensive varieties as Bayelsa from Bayelsa State, Calabar from Cross-River State, Sabo or Edo from Edo State, Yoruba from Ondo State and Gwari plantain sourced from both Abaji a neighborhood authorities Council in FCT, or Kogi or Nasarawa State.
Abdul defined that the Bayelsa and Calabar varieties are significantly prized by shoppers due to their measurement and style.
“Calabar and Bayelsa are pink in color when peeled, have a much bigger bunch and a really candy style, when in comparison with the Yoruba. However the Yoruba plantain is probably the most engaging and interesting to the attention,” he mentioned.
He added that though the Gwari selection is taken into account probably the most visually engaging, many merchants place much less worth on it due to its style.
“Above all of the Gwari species of plantain is probably the most engaging, nonetheless its style might be in comparison with Yam. By market choice, most merchants don’t worth it due to the style,” he mentioned.
The dealer famous that transportation prices additionally play a serious position in figuring out market costs.
In response to him, transporting a load of plantain from Bayelsa to Abuja in a J5 truck beforehand value about N600,000 however has risen to round N650,000. The journey takes about 48 hours when there are not any mechanical points.
For provides from Ondo and Akure, transport prices common about N350,000 from N270,000, whereas transport from Edo State, sits at N320,000.
Abdul informed THE WHISTLER that the price of transportation is dependent upon prevailing circumstances.
He defined that the amount transported varies based on the dimensions of the plantain bunches.
“A J5 truck can carry about 35 dozen large-sized plantain valued between N180,000 and N220,000 per dozen.
“Medium-sized bunches priced between N90,000 and N130,000 per dozen can fill about 45 dozens, whereas smaller bunches valued between N50,000 and N70,000 per dozen can attain as many as 55 dozens per truck.
Regardless of the complaints from shoppers, Abdul argued that plantain costs are decrease than they have been throughout the identical interval final yr.
“Plantain is just not costly this yr, however this time final yr, a giant measurement dozen, with a bunch having as much as 25 seeds, was bought about N330,000. That very same plantain is bought for N240,000 at the moment. Costs of foodstuffs dropped, though we aren’t proud of gross sales, however plantain in comparison with different meals objects remains to be costly,” he mentioned.
He additional defined that the worth of a totally loaded J5 truck has additionally dropped considerably.
“Final yr, a totally loaded J5 with plantain was valued at about N5.5m now it sells at a mean of N3.2m. These costs aren’t fastened, however depending on the species/measurement of the plantain,” he mentioned.
The findings recommend that whereas shoppers are feeling the consequences of seasonal shortage, present costs stay under the degrees recorded through the peak of meals inflation in 2025.
For one more dealer recognized as Mr John, decrease costs haven’t translated into stronger gross sales, as weak client buying energy continues to have an effect on market exercise.
John additionally attributed the monetary draw back to forms of choices.
John mentioned, “Final yr some meals objects like beans, yams, potatoes and Garri have been very costly, so gross sales for plantain elevated. Now that there are alternate options, gross sales have dropped.”
Nevertheless, John informed THE WHISTLER that regardless of a fall in gross sales, the enterprise wasn’t working at a loss, however a regulated revenue.
