Dealers of essential commodities across major markets in Kano are set to launch a trade fair to avail consumers of opportunities to purchase at a cheaper cost.
The special sales fair being organized in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Investment is targeted to ease the perennial high price of essential commodities during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Addressing journalists on Monday, Chairman, Singer Traders Association, Kano, Barr. Junaidu Muhammed Zakari revealed that the fair would open five days before Ramadan and 10 days into the fasting period at the Kano Trade Fair complex.
Zakari disclosed that dealers and wholesale traders, in collaboration with all market associations across the seven major commercial hubs, have agreed to sell their wares at affordable prices.
The leader of Singer Trader added that the cost of goods and commodities has significantly dropped in recent times due to the Federal government’s waiver of taxes on some commodities in the market.
Zakari cited examples of prices of Flour, Rice, Vegetable Oil, Spaghetti and other essential commodities that saw about a 30 per cent cost drop; however worried that consumers are yet to feel the impact.
He specifically challenged the master barkers for failing to cut down prices of bread despite the shape drop in the price of flour in the market, just as he tasked Dangote and Bua companies to crash the prices of Sugar in the interest of the common man.
“We commend the Federal Government for granting waivers on the importation of essential commodities such as rice, pasta and noodles. This has crashed the prices of these items in the market. This is a welcome development.
“People are now happy that the prices have gone down and are no longer apprehensive that they will go up again, and we hope that the waivers will be sustained for some time to come,” he said.
“However, the price of sugar has remained high even though Sugar is sourced and manufactured locally. Marketers are not happy with the price situation on sugar. We see no justification for the price of sugar to keep high.
“This is the commodity that is produced locally by Dangote and BUA. The exchange rate is also stabilizing as the rate of dollar to Naira has relatively come down. We therefore urge the producers of this essential commodity to crash the price for the benefit of consumers, especially as the Ramadan season is fast approaching,” he said.
