Nigerians are beginning to experience some relief as prices of key food commodities have recorded a noticeable decline in recent weeks.

Traders attribute the development largely to the arrival of fresh harvests, which has eased pressure on the market.

At Mararaba market, located on the outskirts of the Federal Capital Territory in Nasarawa State, significant reductions in prices were observed.

A 50kg bag of foreign rice, which previously sold for between N88,000 and N90,000 in July, now goes for N83,000, while the local variety has dropped from N70,000 to N65,000.

White beans currently cost N130,000 per bag, while the brown variety sells for N135,000. In smaller measures, a tier of white beans is sold between N1,700 and N1,800, while the brown type costs about N2,000.

However, not all food items are following the downward trend. Soya beans, for instance, rose slightly from N80,000 in July to N85,000 in August. A trader, Abdul, linked the fluctuation to seasonal factors and possible transportation issues.

The Chairman of the Tomato Sellers’ Association in the market, Hamza Abubakar, confirmed that the influx of produce had shifted market dynamics.

“Before now, a bag of UTC tomatoes went for between N90,000 and N100,000. Today, it is N50,000,” he said.

He added that Darika tomatoes, which sold for N65,000 to N70,000 just three weeks ago, now cost N35,000 per bag, while a paint rubber of tomatoes has dropped from N15,000 to N13,000.

According to him, a basket of cayenne pepper ranges between N4,000 and N5,500, while scotch bonnet pepper is priced at N6,000 per paint rubber. Despite these declines, onions remain expensive, with a bag still going for about N100,000 and a basket priced between N13,000 and N15,000.

He further disclosed that a basket of Irish potatoes now costs between N4,000 and N6,000, depending on size and quality.

In the grains section, white cassava flakes, popularly called garri, have reduced to N72,000 per bag, while yellow garri is now sold for between N78,000 and N80,000. A mudu of white garri, which once sold for N1,100, is now N700, while yellow garri has dropped from N1,200 to N900.

Traders generally linked the price relief to the ongoing harvest season. “The new crops are coming in, and that’s why prices are falling. We expect further reductions in the coming weeks, especially for tomatoes, peppers, and some grains,” one of them explained.

At Karu market, also within the FCT, prices have equally adjusted. A bag of Indian rice has dropped from N53,000 to N50,000, while Thai long-grain rice now goes for N68,000, down from N72,000. Similarly, a bag of white beans now sells for N105,000, compared to N112,000 two months ago.

The market also recorded reductions in maize, with a bag of white maize dropping from N58,000 to N55,000, while red maize decreased from N60,000 to N58,000.

In the yam section, new yams are priced between N4,000 and N5,500 per tuber, while dry yam sells for between N6,500 and N8,500.

A foodstuff trader, Mary Agba, however, noted that price instability has remained a concern. “The prices have been moving up and down for months now,” she said.

In Masaka market, also in Nasarawa State, food prices show a similar downward movement. A basin of milled rice, which sold between N35,000 and N42,000, now goes for between N28,000 and N32,000, depending on quality.

Likewise, a bag of local rice that cost N78,000 last month is now priced at N65,000 to N70,000. Garri has also recorded a sharp fall, with a basin that previously sold for N35,000 now at N11,000, while a bag has dropped from N75,000 to between N55,000 and N60,000.

The price of beans has also eased, with a bag that recently sold for N80,000 to N90,000 now going for N70,000 to N72,000, depending on the type.