The National Bureau of Statistics has just released data indicating that prices for beans, tomatoes, Irish potatoes, garri, yam, and other food items increased in June 2024.
This comes as the Bureau reported a few days ago that headline inflation in June climbed to 34.19 percent compared to the May 2024 headline inflation rate of 33.95 percent.
The NBS Selected Food Prices Watch report for June 2024, released on Tuesday in Abuja, shows that the average price of 1kg of brown beans grew by 252.13% from ₦651.12 in June 2023 to ₦2,292.76 in June 2024.
“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of brown beans increased by 14.11 per cent in June from the ₦2,009.23 recorded in May 2024,” according to the research.
It stated that the average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes grew by 320.67 percent year on year, from N547.28 in June 2023 to N2,302.26 in June 2024.
“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of tomatoes increased by 55.97 per cent from the N1,479.69 recorded in May 2024,” according to the report.
According to the research, the average price of Irish potatoes climbed by 288.50% year on year, from ₦623.75 in June 2023 to ₦2,423.27 in June 2024.
According to the NBS, the average price of 1kg of white Garri increased by 181.66% year on year, from ₦403.15 in June 2023 to ₦1,135.51 in June 2024.
“On a monthly basis, 1kg of white garri climbed by 1.86% from N1,114.72 in May 2024.
The average price of 1kg of yam tuber increased by 295.79% year on year, from ₦510.77 in June 2023 to ₦2,2021.55 in June 2024.
In June 2024, Kogi had the highest average price of ₦3,006.43 per 1kg of brown beans, while Adamawa had the lowest at ₦1,336.11.
It stated that Abuja recorded the highest average price for 1kg of tomatoes at ₦3,992.61, while the lowest was recorded in Kebbi at ₦1,200.
The NBS reported that the highest average price for 1kg of yam tuber was recorded in Lagos at ₦3,376.54, while the lowest price was recorded in Adamawa at ₦1,100.
According to the report, Gombe recorded the highest average price for 1kg of white garri at ₦1,619.27, while the lowest was reported in Taraba at ₦900.
Analysis by zone showed that the average price for 1kg of brown beans was highest in the North-Central at ₦2,923.45, followed by the South-South at ₦2,630.03.
The South-West and South-East recorded the highest average price for 1kg of tomatoes at ₦3,261.84 and ₦2,852.59, respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-West at ₦1,411.16.
The report stated that the South-West recorded the highest average price for 1kg of yam tuber at ₦2,745.80, followed by the North-Central at ₦2,440.35, while the North-West recorded the lowest price at ₦1,238.49.
The NBS also reported that the South-West and the North-East recorded the highest average price for 1kg of white garri at ₦1,199.62 and ₦1,155.63, respectively.
This comes as the Federal Government recently granted a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities, in a bid to address the incessant increase in food prices and ensure food security.
The suspended duty tariffs and taxes will apply to the importation of certain food items across the land and sea borders, which include maize, cowpeas, wheat, and husked brown rice.
The government also announced that it had approved some grains for nationwide distribution.
