9th April, 2020
Three days to 2020 Easter celebration, the price of rice has remained stable in Enugu metropolis following the availability of the produce and a high number of rice farmers in the state.
In a market survey on Thursday showed that the price remained stable in spite of the coming festivity.
In spite of the high price of other foodstuffs following the lockdown, the price of rice had been stable in neighbourhood markets in the metropolis.
Some rice sellers attributed the price stability to the availability of the product coming from rice producers in different communities in the state.
My Ephraim Asuzu, a rice dealer at Mayor Neighborhood market, said that the price had remained the same since January.
Asuzu explained that a 25kg of de-stoned local rice still goes for between N7,000 and N8,000 while the 50kg goes for between N15,000 and N16,500 depending on their types.
Mrs Ogochukwu Ifekwem, a rice seller at Garki market, said that a 50kg of foreign rice had remained at the rate of between 25,000 and N28,000.
Ifekwem added that 25kg foreign rice goes for between N12,000 and N13,500 depending on their brands.
Mr Jude Chima, another rice seller at Top-Land market at Amechi/ Ebony Paint Road, said that due to massive production of rice in some Enugu communities like Ugboka, Oduma, Adani, Awgu among others, the price would always be stable or fall further.
“Lockdown or Easter celebration has nothing to do with the price of rice as the state is specialized in mass production,” Chima said.