The price of garri, a staple food in most Nigerian households, has seen a significant drop of about 22% in many markets across Enugu.
A recent survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday revealed that a paint bucket of white garri has decreased in price from N3,500 to N2,500. Similarly, the yellow variety now sells for between N3,500 and N3,200, down from N4,000 and N3,700, depending on the brand.
Several dealers attributed this price reduction to the ongoing cassava harvest in parts of the state. Mrs. Nkechi Egbo, a retailer at New Market, Enugu, reported that a 100kg bag of white garri, previously priced at N134,400, now costs N105,000. She also noted that a 100kg bag of yellow garri, which sold for N168,000 and N160,000, now goes for N142,000 and N147,000, respectively.
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Egbo added that the price of a milk cup of yellow garri has also decreased, with prices now ranging from N250, N200, and N150 per cup, down from N300 and N200. Another retailer, Mama Ada, confirmed that the price drop is due to high harvests in Ugbawka and Nara communities in Nkanu East Local Government Council Areas. She predicted that prices might fall further in the coming weeks as other communities in Enugu and Ebonyi states continue to harvest last year’s cassava while planting new crops.
A farmer, Mr. Mathew Nwankwo, explained that the previous high prices of garri were influenced by the cost of other commodities in the market and the high expenses associated with cultivating cassava. “A farmer who sold garri will need to buy rice, beans, and other commodities, which prices have doubled in the market,” Nwankwo said. He detailed the various costs involved in cassava farming, including paying laborers, feeding them, and covering expenses for harvest, transportation, peeling, firewood, water, red oil for coloring the garri, and the frying process.
Nwankwo highlighted that he spent N40,000 on cassava stems for his 10 plots of land, which was not sufficient. “All these expenses contributed to the high cost of the commodity in the market,” he added.
The price drop has been welcomed by many, including Mrs. Vivian Okoro, a teacher, who described it as a positive development. “Many families in the country were finding it extremely difficult to buy the commodity due to its high price,” she said. Okoro urged the government to support farmers to make staple foods like rice, beans, and garri more affordable for ordinary Nigerians.
