Price of garri soars in Cross River

Calabar – Price of garri, a staple foodstuff in Cross River, has risen in Calabar and environs, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Investigation in markets in Calabar found that a basin of garri, which was sold for N3500 in April, now sells at between N5000 and N5500.
Similarly, three cups of the commodity now sell for N100 and seven cups at N200 as against N100 for six cups before.
A garri seller on Parliamentary Road in the city, Mrs Joy Iquo, told NAN that the price of the commodity had also increased in other parts of the state.
According to her, the basin measurement of garri which used to sell for between N3500 and N3800 at Ugep, in Yakurr Local Government Area, is now sold for  N4800.
“This situation is rather unfortunate because garri is supposed to be very cheap in Ugep. It is the area of the state where it is very affordable and everybody goes there to buy.”
Iquo said it has become a problem now to buy the commodity, stressing that the price increase might have been caused by dwindling amount of cassava in circulation as well as expectations of new cropping season.
Mrs Alice Udoh, a garri dealer at Marian Market, said the hike in the price of the commodity, at this time of the year, was normal, adding that the 2012 flood in the state might have contributed to the scarcity of the product.
Mr Joseph Johnson, a taxi driver in the metropolis, said he was already having difficulty in affording enough garri for his family.
“Garri is the number one food in my family but the price is now making it almost impossible for me to retain it as number one food in my home.”
However, a farmer, Mr Owali Ilem told NAN that the price of the commodity would soon come down as corn and other foodstuffs would be available. (NAN)