Many Nigerians in Abuja and surrounding areas, unable to afford whole tubers of yam, have resorted to buying them in pieces as food prices soar in the Federal Capital Territory.
A visit to several markets in the FCT by Pathway News on Thursday revealed that yam sellers, eager to make sales, are cutting yams into smaller pieces to sell to customers.
Pathway News reports that yam is a major staple food in Nigeria. However, due to the rising prices of food items, consumers now buy yam in pieces, as whole tubers have become unaffordable.
Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, a popular yam dealer in Dei-Dei market, told NAN that they often cut yams when they are about to decay due to low patronage.
“Some consumers will request yam worth N1,000 or even N500, and we have no option but to sell the already cut pieces to them; that makes them satisfied,” Tanko said.
Mrs. Blessing Ekong, a yam seller in Dei-Dei market, mentioned that the current situation in the country has made it difficult for an average family to afford a large tuber of yam.
According to her, a large tuber costs between N3,000 to N5,000.
“Many people no longer buy yam because of the cost. We now cut the yams in pieces and rearrange broken ones to sell at the rate of N500 to N1,000, depending on the size. This helps us increase sales because not everyone can afford a medium-sized tuber of yam for N3,000 or N5,000. Some food vendors also buy cut yams,” she said.
Ekong noted that due to the current economic situation in the country, some people fear buying a big tuber only to discover that part of the yam is bad.
“It is very painful to experience such waste. That is one of the reasons many now buy pieces of yam,” she said.
Ekong also mentioned that it is difficult to sell a tuber of yam for N1,000 because farmers now sell small tubers for between N1,500 and N2,500.
Mrs. Blessing Hassan, a yam consumer, said that with the present situation in the country, buying yam in pieces is the best option.
“I prefer to buy it in pieces because it is cheaper and, in most cases, I can clearly see if the yam is spoiled or not. Sometimes, I buy a good-looking yam only to discover at home that it is spoiled,” she added.
Another yam seller, Mrs. Peter Kalu, noted that many people no longer buy yam because of the high cost. She said that cutting yam into pieces helps to increase their sales because many people prefer it that way.
“We cut them into pieces depending on the size and resell them in a way people can afford; so many people now prefer cut yams,” she said.
