Lagos Residents Lament Rising Price Of Eggs

Residents across Lagos have complained of consistent rise in the prices of poultry produce, especially eggs.
The residents spoke with the news men on Thursday, in Lagos.
A resident of Alimosho, Mrs Doris Nwigwe, said she was surprised at the weekly increment which the retailers blamed on hike in cost of poultry raw materials.
“We buy eggs now between N2800 and N3000 per crate. As at a month ago, we bought a crate of egg at between N2000 and N2100.
“When we asked the reason for the increase, they said the price of bird feed was on the increase.
“We have no choice but to buy it at whatever price they give us, we are tired of the continuous increment,” Nwigwe stated.

Positive Positive
A resident at Ogudu axis, Mrs Cornelia Edet said pleading with the retailers to cut down on the price was always without positive response.
“In my area, the price of eggs range from N2,400 to N2500 and N2600, depending on the size.
“I recently bought the one of N2500 as it is reasonably sized, but I used to buy that size between N2300 and N2400.
“We are concerned over the constant increase in price of eggs, but the sellers insist that is how they get it from the farms.
“We have no choice but to buy it at whatever price because they are not even begging you to buy,” Edet said.
Mrs Gloria Eghogho, resident at Ojo area of the state, said like every other agro-produce, eggs were pretty expensive.
“Eggs are pretty expensive now, it is like the price changes every other week.
“You are not sure of how much you will buy a crate the next time you shop.
“Eggs used to be the most affordable protein the average Nigerian could afford, but now it costs more than beef in the average restaurant.
“We really do not know how we got here,” Eghogho said.

Blamed for the hikeIn reaction to the residents’ complaints, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Lagos State Chairman, said the continuous increment in the price of raw materials should be blamed for the hike
“The rise in price of poultry produce is of great concern to the association as well. We feel the plight of the consumers too.
“However, the cost of materials in feed processing is on the increase on a daily basis.
“A month ago, a bag of maize sold for as much as N24,000 to N25,000, but presently it sells for over N30,000 per bag. The rate at which the price of maize keeps increasing is abnormal.
“The price of soya is relatively stable while the price of other components like the groundnut paste and the fish meal are also on the increase.

Concession to pay
“A month ago, we sought incentives from the federal government, but in comparison with price at the open market, it is almost at par.
“Even the open market gave us concession to pay for the maize a month after purchase,” Iyiola said.

According to him, the farmers prefer buying at the open market because of its quick delivery and it is almost the same price with the government incentives maize.
“Presently, a bag of maize from the federal government incentives goes as high as N30,000 per bag (payment before delivery) while the open market sells at N31,000, payment after delivery.”
He said that the cost of eggs has gone beyond normal. At the farm gates, we sell at N2200 or N2300 per crate depending on the size of the eggs.
He added that average size crate of eggs is N2100, depending on the location. Retailers sell between N2500 to N3000.

NAN/Lateefah Ibrahim