TRADERS IN ENUGU FROWN AT LOW PATRONAGE THIS EID EL KABIR CELEBRATION
Prices of livestock in the market have remained stable despite Eid el Kabir celebration by the Muslim community.
Our Correspondent who visited Old Artisan Market Ogui Enugu to ascertain the mood in the market reports that the hustling and bustling usually associated with such celebration was absent.
According to Our Correspondent, dealers in Chickens and Turkey complained of low patronage.
A dealer in Chicken, Mr. Ndubuisi Ibeneme told Radio Nigeria that he had sufficient Chicken for sale but lamented that it was still the same people that buy Chicken from him for their use that were still coming.
The Price is still as it is before, we are selling Old Layer, One Thousand, six hundred naira, Broilers, we have one thousand five hundred naira, two thousand naira, two thousand five hundred naira depending on the sizes of the chicken. The Salah Celebration did not affect the prices because we haven’t seen any customer.
Another person, Mr. Chigozie Okoronkwo who deals in Turkey explained that customers complained that harsh economic situation in the country was affecting their purchase.
For now I have not seen anybody coming to buy for the celebration. There is no body in the market. Everywhere is dry.
Mr. Sunday Edeh who kills and process Chicken for consumers told Radio Nigeria that he was yet to notice increase in demand for his service.
As of now there is low patronage because of economic hardship in the Country. People are experiencing hardship, people are complaining of nonpayment of salary. We are expecting Muslims to come and buy Chickens.
Our Correspondent Observed that most traders were seen beckoning on passing motorists and buyers to come and patronize them as they claimed to have better breeds of livestock with affordable prices.
Also some traders in the market expressed mixed feelings over food prices this Celebration.
They said that vegetables such as cabbage, green beans and Irish potatoes remained stable, while rice had a slight increase in price.
A cucumber vendor, Mrs Ijeoma Owajikwe stated that a bag of the commodity previously sold for three thousand naira had reduced to two thousand naira with market sales very low. A rice seller, Mr. Martin Nwafor expressed joy over increased sales.
The Market is too bad; we sell Two thousand five hundred Naira this big bag, now it is Two Thousand Naira.
The consumption rate is so high, the approach of the Salah which is a festive period a lot of person do buy rice that period, Foreign Rice is Seventeen thousand Five hundred Naira, the Local one that is the De Stoned rice, we sell at Six thousand five hundred Naira that is the Twenty KG.
Some Muslim faithful who were at the Ogbete Main Market for shopping told Our Correspondent that they were not happy with high cost of some food items.
They expressed gratitude to Allah for enabling them to witness the celebration.
CHRISTIAN NWANGENE, UJU UMUNNA