Food prices rise in April 2024 - NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of rice, garri, tomato, beans, yam, and other food items increased in April 2024.

The NBS said this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for April 2024, released in Abuja on Friday.

The report said that the average price of 1 kg of local rice increased by 155.93 percent from N546.76 recorded in April 2023 to N1,399.34 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1 kg of local rice increased by 3.47 percent in April from the N1, 340.74 recorded in March 2024.”

It said that the average price of 1 kg of white garri increased by 134.98 percent on a year-on-year basis, from N362.50 recorded in April 2023 to N851.81 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1 kg of white garri increased by 13.59 percent from the N749.89 recorded in March 2024.”

The report said that the average price of 1 kg of tomato increased by 131.58 percent on a year-on-year basis, from N485.10 in April 2023 to N1,123.41 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 17.06 percent from the N959.68 recorded in March 2024.”

The NBS said that the average price of 1 kg of brown beans rose by 125.43 percent on a year-on-year basis from N615.65 in April 2023 to N1387.90 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1 kg of brown beans increased by 12.44 per cent from N1, 234.40 recorded in March 2024 to N1, 387.90 in April 2024. ”

In addition, the average price of 1 kg of yam tuber rose by 154.19 per cent on a year-on-year basis from the N444.69 recorded in April 2023 to N1, 130.37 in April 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 5.76 per cent from N1, 068.78 recorded in March 2024 to N1, 130.37 in April 2024.”

On state profile analysis, the report showed that in April 2024, the highest average price of 1 kg of local rice was recorded in Niger at N1, 785.47, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N993.72

It said that Bayelsa recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of white garri at N1, 095.26, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N494.47.

The NBS said that the highest average price of 1 kg of tomato was recorded in Delta at N1, 851.19, while the lowest price was recorded in Zamfara at N547.22

According to the report, Abuja recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of brown beans at N2, 288.36, while the lowest was reported in Yobe at N818.03.

It said Cross River recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of yam tuber at N 1,797.15, while the least average price was recorded in Bauchi at N 638.64.

Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1 kg of local rice was highest in the South-West at N1, 615.21, followed by the South-South at N1, 564.85.

“The lowest price was recorded in the North-West at N1, 163.13.”

The South-South and South-West recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of white garri at N1,031.19 and N982.42, respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-West at N681.77.

The report said that the South-South recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of tomato at N1, 689.40, followed by the South-West at N1, 429.06 , while the North-West recorded the lowest price at N615.54

The NBS said also that the North-Central and South-South recorded the highest average price of 1 kg of brown beans at N1, 594.84 and N1, 579.64, respectively.

“The North-West recorded the lowest price of 1 kg of brown beans at N966.9.”