As preparations for the Salah celebration intensify, traders at the popular Mile 12 Market are facing a difficult challenge. According to Modupe Ojo, the Deputy Iya Oloja of Mile 12 Market, the cost of food items has surged significantly, driven largely by severe weather and infrastructure issues.
Speaking during TRADE FM’S BUSINESS BREAKFAST BRIEFING, Ms. Ojo highlighted that heavy rains have left critical transport routes in poor condition, making it extremely difficult for vehicles to move goods.
”We have vehicles carrying perishable items—like tomatoes, peppers, and onions—that have been stuck on the road for nearly four days,” Ojo stressed.
These delays are hitting the market hard. Because the items are perishable, many of them arrive spoilt, leading to massive losses for traders. To cover these losses and the high costs of fuel and transport, traders are forced to increase prices, making staples more expensive for the average shopper.
Speaking further, the deputy iya Oloja stated that the rising costs have changed how customers are shopping this year, the deputy Iya Oloja noted that while the demand for essential items remains high, shoppers are much more cautious with their spending. Ms Ojo said to avoid the worst of the price hikes, many buyers have stocked up on non-perishables early in the week which is a traditional buying pattern. However, the market for livestock—a vital part of the Salah celebration—remains unpredictable, as families try to balance their desire for a festive meal with the current economic reality
