Quality of local rice improves as food prices drop across major markets 

The quality of locally-produced rice in Nigeria has recorded significant improvement in recent weeks, as the latest Nairametrics Household Survey revealed that more brands of local rice continued to flood major markets in Lagos, thereby pulling the prices.

According to the latest Survey, the price of local rice reduced significantly across major markets in Lagos as new brands of locally made rice were sighted in various markets. Bags of locally-made rice now sell for an average of N19,250 compared to the initial average of N20,750.

The report also showed that 10kg bags of locally produced rice reduced from N4,000 last month to N3,500 last week. The report has items that witnessed decrease in prices, Items that increased in prices, Items that maintained initial prices, special markets accounts and market insights.

Items that witnessed price decrease

• A 10kg bag of Mama Gold rice and Rice Master reduced to a uniform price of N3,500 compared to an initial average of N4,000 and N4,250 respectively.
• A 50kg bag of Mama Gold rice currently sells for an average of N19,250, a 7.23% reduction compared to an initial average of N20,750.
• Also, the price of 50kg bags of Caprice reduced to an average of N25,750 compared to an initial average of N26,167.
• A 50kg bag of brown beans (Oloyin) sells for an average of N12,500, a 3.85% reduction compared to N13,000 being sold two weeks ago.
• While a bag of regular brown beans currently sells for an average of N20,375, a 13.3% reduction in contrast to N23,500 sold in January. A 50kg bag of white beans reduced to an average of N19,875 from an initial average of N21,250.
• The price of pepper decreased yet again, as a big bag now sells for an average of N6,000 from an initial average of N6,500, while a medium bag which was sold for an average of N5,000 two weeks ago reduced by 4% to sell for N4,800.

Items that witnessed price increase

Among the items that witnessed increase in their prices are yam, locally made groundnut oil, tomatoes and onions among others.

• A big tuber of yam now sells for an average of N850 from an initial average of N813, indicating a 4.62% increase within two weeks, while a medium-sized tuber of yam increased by 4.17% to sell for an average of N625.
• A 25-litre gallon of local vegetable oil sells for an average of N13,075, an 1.55% increase compared to an initial average of N12,875.
• A basket of round shaped tomatoes that enjoyed consistent price reductions in recent weeks witnessed relative price increase as a big basket now sells for an average of N6,500 compared to an initial average of N6,000, representing 8.33% increase.
• A medium-sized basket of tomatoes currently sells for N3,800 compared to an initial N3,500 in January.
• Another item that recorded increase in price, despite a run of consistent decrease is onion. A big bag of dry onions currently sells for N22,000 from an initial N20,000. It increased by 10% within two weeks.
• Also, a big bag of new onions costs N19,000, a 5.56% increment compared to N18,000 in January.

[READ MORE: Food items’ stock pile-up across major markets, as prices continue to drop)

Items that maintained initial prices

• Big baskets of sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes still retain their initial prices at N4,300 and N18,000 respectively.
• A bag of Royal Stallion (Foreign) rice maintained its initial price at N27,000.
• Across the visited markets, the price of a bag of flour remains unchanged at an average of N11,275.
• The prices of bags of maize, both yellow and white, maintain their initial prices at the average of N14,000 and N15,500 respectively.
• A kilo of fish (Kote) continues to sell for an average of N478 as Titus fish also maintains N485 as sold two weeks ago.
• Some other items that maintained their initial prices include cartons of noodles, refilling of household cooking gas, beverages and crates of eggs.

Special Market 

• Sellers of locally produced palm oil and groundnut oil at Daleko market told Nairametrics Research that their prices are reducing gradually, compared to December.

“A big drum of groundnut oil, that was sold between the range of N115,000 and N120, 0000 in December is now sold for an average of N108,000, while palm oil of the same quantity sells for an average of N72,000 compared to an average of N80,000.”

• We also gathered that the price of a big bunch of plantains that was sold in December for N1,500 at Idi-Oro market reduced to N1,000 in February while a smaller sized bunch now sells for N800 compared to N1,000 in December.

Market insight

Nairametrics Research Team gathered that the continuous supply of new brands of locally produced rice is as a result of farmers’ willingness to produce rice to meet the country’s needs. This has crashed the price of the commodity to N19,000 from an initial N21,000.

A rice seller at Daleko market praised the producers of locally made rice, as the volume of stony rice in the various markets has reduced drastically, while also producing rice that could measure up with foreign-made rice in terms of quality.

Some of the new brands of locally made rice sighted in the markets include Famous Rice, Our Rice, JGW New-World Rice and Al-flux Rice, all of which sell within the range of N18,000 and N19,000 while Mai-Nasari rice cost an average of N16,000.

[READ ALSO: Tomatoes, pepper prices crash across major markets, as local rice continues to ease-off)

Items	Brand	Unit	MUSHIN (06/02/2020)	DALEKO (06/02/2020)	OYINGBO (06/02/2020)	MILE 12 (06/02/2020)	Average		MUSHIN (23/01/2020)	DALEKO (23/01/2020)	OYINGBO (23/01/2020)	MILE 12 (23/01/2020)	Average
Bag of Rice	Basmati	5kg	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA		NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Bag of Rice	Mama Gold	10kg	NA	3500	NA	NA	3500		NA	4000	NA	NA	4000
Bag of Rice	Royal Stallion	50Kg	27000	NA	27000	NA	27000		27000	NA	27000	NA	27000
Bag of Rice	Rice Master	10kg	NA	3500	NA	NA	3500		NA	4000	NA	4500	4250
Bag of Rice	Mama Gold	50kg	19000	19000	19500	19500	19250		21000	20000	21000	21000	20750
Bag of Rice	Caprice	50kg	26500	NA	NA	25000	25750		26500	27000	NA	25000	26166.666666667
Bag of Rice	Mama's Pride	50kg	19000	19000	19500	19500	19250		21000	20000	21000	21000	20750
Bag of Rice	Falcon	25kg	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA		NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Bag of Beans	Oloyin	50kg	13000	12000	13000	12000	12500		13000	12000	13000	14000	13000
Bag of Beans	White	50kg	20500	18000	21000	20000	19875		22000	20000	22000	21000	21250
Bag of Beans	Brown	>50kg	22000	18000	21500	20000	20375		24000	22000	24000	24000	23500
Tuber of Yam	Abuja	1 Big Size Tuber	900	800	850	850	850		850	800	800	800	812.5
Tuber of Yam	Abuja	1 Medium Size Tuber	650	650	600	600	625		650	550	600	600	600
Carton of Noodles	Indomie	305g (Belle full)	2900	2900	2900	2900	2900		2900	2900	2900	2900	2900
Carton of Noodles	Indomie	200g (Hungry man)	3200	3200	3200	3200	3200		3200	3200	3200	3200	3200
Carton of Noodles	Chikki	100g	2000	2200	2100	2100	2100		2000	2200	2100	2100	2100
Carton of Noodles	Minimie	70g	1500	1500	1500	1500	1500		1500	1500	1500	1500	1500
Carton of Noodles	Golden Penny	70g	1400	1400	1400	1400	1400		1400	1400	1400	1400	1400
Bag of Garri	Ijebu	80kg	6000	6800	7000	7000	6700		6000	6800	7000	7000	6700
Bag of Garri	White	50kg	6000	6000	6500	6000	6125		6000	6000	6500	6000	6125
Bag of Garri	Yellow	50kg	6000	6500	6500	7000	6500		6000	6500	6500	7000	6500
Basket of Potato	Sweet	Big Basket				4300	4300					4300	4300
Basket of Potato	Sweet	Small Basket				700	700					700	700
Basket of Potato	sweet	Smallest Basket				200	200					200	200
Basket of Potato	Irish	Biggest Basket				18000	18000					18000	18000
Basket of Potato	Irish	Medium Basket				2000	2000					2000	2000
Basket of Potato	Irish	Small Basket				1500	1500					1500	1500
Packet of Pasta	Golden Penny	500g	4300	4400	4300	4200	4300		4300	4400	4300	4200	4300
Packet of Pasta	Dangote	500g	4000	4000	4000	4100	4025		4000	4000	4000	4100	4025
Packet of Pasta	Power (1 pc)	500g	220	220	220	200	215		220	220	220	200	215
Packet of Pasta	Bonita (1 pc)	500g	220	200	200	210	207.5		220	200	200	210	207.5
Gallon of Palm Oil	Local	5 Litres	2200	2000	2300	2000	2125		2200	2000	2300	2000	2125
Gallon of Palm Oil	Local	25 Litres	10500	9000	10000	9500	9750		10500	10000	10500	9500	10125
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Local	5 Litres	2300	2300	2400	2300	2325		2300	2300	2400	2300	2325
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Local	25 Litres	13000	13000	13500	12800	13075		13000	12500	13500	12500	12875
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Kings	5 Litres	3000	3000	3000	3000	3000		3000	3000	3000	3000	3000
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Wesson	5 Litres	3900	3900	3900	3900	3900		3900	3900	3900	3900	3900
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Mamador	3.8 Litres	2500	2450	2500	2400	2462.5		2500	2450	2500	2400	2462.5
Gallon of Vegetable Oil	Power	3 Litres	1800	1800	1800	1800	1800		1800	1800	1800	1800	1800
Bunch of Plaintain	Plaintain	1 Big Bunch	400	400	350	400	387.5		400	400	350	400	387.5
Bag of Flour	Dangote	50kg	11200	11200	11200	11500	11275		11200	11200	11200	11500	11275
Bag of Flour	Honey well	50Kg	11500	11200	11200	11200	11275		11500	11200	11200	11200	11275
Bag of Flour	Mama Gold	50kg	11500	11300	11000	11300	11275		11500	11300	11000	11300	11275
Bag of Sugar	Dangote	50kg	3500	3200	3400	3200	3325		3500	3200	3400	3200	3325
Milk	Peak Powdered (Tin)	400g	1250	1200	1200	1200	1212.5		1250	1200	1200	1200	1212.5
Milk	peak Powdered(Tin)	900g	2400	2400	2400	2300	2375		2400	2400	2400	2300	2375
Milk	Peak milk (Refill)	500g	1050	1000	1000	1000	1012.5		1050	1000	1000	1000	1012.5
Milk	Dano Powdered (Tin)	500g	1000	1000	1000	1000	1000		1000	1000	1000	1000	1000
Milk	Dano Powdered(Tin)	900g	2000	2000	2000	2000	2000		2000	2000	2000	2000	2000
Milk	Dano (Refill)	500g	850	800	800	800	812.5		850	800	800	800	812.5
Milk	ThreeCrown (Refill)	380g	720	700	750	700	717.5		720	700	750	700	717.5
Milk	Loya Powdered (Tin)	400g	1000	1000	1000	1050	1012.5		1000	1000	1000	1050	1012.5
Milk	Loya (Refill)	400g	850	800	850	800	825		850	800	850	800	825
Milk	Coast (Refill)	500g	750	750	750	750	750		750	750	750	750	750
Cocoa Beverages	Milo (Tin)	500g	1000	1100	1050	1000	1037.5		1000	1100	1050	1000	1037.5
Cocoa Beverages	Milo (Tin)	900g	2000	2100	2100	2100	2075		2000	2100	2100	2100	2075
Cocoa Beverages	Milo Refill	500g	900	900	900	900	900		900	900	900	900	900
Cocoa Beverages	Bournvita Refill	500g	950	900	950	900	925		950	900	950	900	925
Cocoa Beverages	Bournvita (Plastic)	900g	2000	2000	2000	2000	2000		2000	2000	2000	2000	2000
Cocoa Beverages	Ovaltine Refill	500g	800	800	850	850	825		800	800	850	850	825
Cocoa Beverages	Ovaltine(Plastic)	500g	1100	1100	1000	1100	1075		1100	1100	1000	1100	1075
Coffee	Nescafe Classic	50g	600	600	600	600	600		600	600	600	600	600
Tea	Lipton Yellow label	52g	310	290	300	300	300		310	290	300	300	300
Tea	Top tea	52g	300	300	300	300	300		300	300	300	300	300
Sugar	St' Loius Sugar(Cube)	500g	400	380	400	450	407.5		400	380	400	450	407.5
Sugar	Golden Penny Sugar (cube)	500g	350	300	350	300	325		350	300	350	300	325
Bread	Val-U	1 loaf	300	300	300	300	300		300	300	300	300	300
Bread	Butterfield	1 loaf	300	300	300	300	300		300	300	300	300	300
Egg	N/A	Crate	950	1000	950	1000	975		950	1000	950	1000	975
Bottled Water (Refill)	Cway	Refill	600	600	650	600	612.5		600	600	650	600	612.5
Juice	5 Alive	1 litre	600	550	550	600	575		600	550	550	600	575
Juice	Chivita	1 litre	600	550	600	550	575		600	550	600	550	575
Gas	Refilling	12.5kg	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000		4000	4000	4000	4000	4000
Gas	Refilling	5kg	1700	1700	1800	1700	1725		1700	1700	1800	1700	1725
Tomatoes	Big Basket	round shaped				6500	6500					6000	6000
	Medium Basket	round shaped				3800	3800					3500	3500
	Small Basket	round shaped				2000	2000					2500	2500
	Big Basket	Oval Shaped				NA	NA					NA	NA
	Small Basket	Oval Shaped				NA	NA					NA	NA
Fish	Kote (Horse Mackerel)	1 kg	500	450	470	490	477.5		500	450	470	490	477.5
Fish	Titus (Mackerel)	1 kg	500	450	500	490	485		500	450	500	490	485
Pepper	Big bag					6000	6000					6500	6500
	Medium bag					4800	4800					5000	5000
Maize	Yellow			14000		14000	14000			14000		14000	14000
	White			15000		16000	15500			15000		16000	15500
Melon	Big bag					48000	48000					48000	48000
Onions	Big bag	Dry Onions				22000	22000					20000	20000
Onions	Big bag	New Onions				19000	19000					18000	18000

About Nairametrics Food Price Survey

The Nairametrics Food Price Watch is a bi-weekly household market survey that covers the prices of major food items, with emphasis on five major markets in Lagos – Mushin Market, Daleko Market, Oyingbo Market, Idi-Oro Market and Mile 12.