Residents of Kaduna are no longer buying yams because the prices have skyrocketed. At Yan Doya market, a popular spot for yam sellers, prices have soared to N10,000 per tuber, making it too expensive for many to afford. Currently, 100 tubers of yam sell for N1 million, and even the smallest tubers cost at least N5,000.
The high cost has led many residents to remove yam from their diets. Despite the influx of new yams into the market, prices remain out of reach for most people. Vincent Iroegvu and Maryam Sanusi, both yam sellers at the market, expressed their frustration over the low patronage as customers avoid the market due to the high prices.
“The cost of living has made it hard for people to buy yams. People just can’t afford it anymore,” said Iroegvu. Sanusi added, “We hardly get any customers these days. The high prices have driven them away.”
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The economic strain is not limited to yams. Residents across various states, including Gombe, Lagos, Kano, Katsina, and Taraba, report that bread, once a staple for many families, is also becoming unaffordable due to inflation. Many people are now looking for cheaper alternatives as food prices continue to rise.
“Laborers, drivers, and students who used to rely on bread for breakfast can’t afford it anymore,” a respondent in Gombe stated.