As food prices continue to skyrocket, many residents of Abuja and its environs who can no longer afford to buy whole tubers of yam are now purchasing it in pieces.
A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday revealed that yam sellers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have adapted to the economic situation by cutting yams into smaller portions to attract customers.
Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, a well-known yam dealer in the Dei-Dei market, explained that the practice of cutting yams is often employed when yams start to spoil due to low patronage.
Mrs. Blessing Ekong, another yam seller in the same market, highlighted the difficulty many families face in affording large-sized yams.
“Many people no longer buy yams because of the cost,” Ekong said. “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 approach also 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 patronize cut yams.”
Ekong pointed out that the current economic challenges have made consumers wary of purchasing large tubers only to find parts of them spoiled. “It will be very painful to experience such a waste. That is one of the reasons many now buy pieces of yam,” she added.
Mrs. Blessing Hassan, a consumer, confirmed that buying yams in pieces is a more viable option given the circumstances. “I prefer to buy it in pieces because it is cheaper and in most cases, I can see clearly if the yam is spoilt or not. Sometimes, I will buy a good-looking yam only to go home to discover that it is spoilt,” she explained.
Another seller, Mrs. Peter Kalu, noted that the high cost of yams has significantly reduced sales of whole tubers. “We cut them to pieces depending on the size and resell them in a way people can afford,” Kalu said, emphasizing that this method has helped sustain their business amid the economic downturn.