NBS: Food prices soar in April

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of food items such as tomatoes, beans, and yams witnessed increases in April 2023.

The NBS made the declaration via its Selected Food Prices Watch Report for April issued on Saturday, June 3.

It stated that the average price of 1kg of tomato on a year-on-year basis rose by 13.73 per cent from N426.54 in April 2022 to N485.10 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of tomato increased by 3.97 per cent in April from the N466.60 recorded in March 2023,” the NBS noted.

The NBS said the average price of 1kg of brown beans (sold loose) increased by 16.03 per cent on a year-on-year basis, from N530.62 in April 2022 to N615.67 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 3.13 per cent in April from N596.96 in March 2023,” it added.

The NBS stated that the average price of 1kg of onion bulb rose by 15.87 per cent on a year-on-year basis, from N380.94 in April 2022 to N441.38 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, it dropped by 0.67 per cent in April from the N444.37 recorded in March 2023,” it said.

The NBS noted that the average price of 1kg of yam rose by 23.12 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N361.20 in April 2022 to N444.69 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg tuber of yam increased by 0.38 per cent in April from the N443.02 recorded in March 2023,” it added.

It stated that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef increased by 23.13 per cent from N2,026.8 in April 2022 to N2,495.69 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of boneless beef increased by 0.65 per cent in April from the N2,479.61 recorded in March 2023,” the NBS said.

The NBS explained that at the state level, the highest average price of 1kg boneless beef was recorded in Imo State at N3,277.11, while the lowest was recorded in Kogi State at N1,789.67.

In addition, the average price of one bottle of vegetable oil rose by 26.34 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N981.16 in April 2022 to N1,239.58 in April 2023.

“On a month-on-month basis, it rose by 1.55 per cent in April from N1,220.62 recorded in March 2023,” it added.

The highest average price of 1kg of Tomato was recorded in Edo State at N950.62, while the lowest was recorded in Kogi State at N205.26.

The NBS stated that Ebonyi State recorded the highest price of brown beans (sold loose) at N961.74, while Niger recorded the lowest price at N428.57.

It disclosed that Cross River State recorded the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb at N987.39, while the lowest price was recorded in Katsina State at N163.33.

It added that the highest average price of 1kg of yam tuber was recorded in Akwa Ibom State at N920.15, while the lowest was recorded in Benue State at N200.37.

Also, Abia State recorded the highest average price of one bottle of vegetable oil at N1,694.74, while Kogi State recorded the lowest at N735.33.

Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef was highest in the Southeast at N3,223.05, followed by the South-South at N2,673.33, while the North-Central recorded the lowest at N2,133.46.

The NBS stated that the average price of 1kg of tomato was highest in the South-South and South-East at N849.02 and N647.96 respectively, while the lowest price was recorded in the North-East at N256.13.

The South-East recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans (sold loose) at N834.55, followed by the South-South at N699.76.

“The lowest price was recorded in the North-East at N496.78,” the NBS added.

The Star

Segun Ojo