Borno and Yobe States Market Monitoring Report – Issue 35 (April 2020) - WFP-VAM

Monitoring market price trends remains an integral part of WFP's efforts to understand food security conditions in northeastern Nigeria as this helps to guide programming activities in relation to CVA and contributes to an understanding of how prevailing market conditions impact conflict-affected households' access to food. To this end, WFP undertakes bi-weekly monitoring of food commodities to gauge how vulnerable and market-dependent households are affected by food price changes and the resulting impact of such changes on the cost of the food basket. In Borno State, the monitored markets include the Monday market, Abbaganaram, Budum, Kasuwan Shanu, Bullumkutu, Baga Road, Tashan Bama, Custom market. In Yobe State, on the other hand, Damaturu, Bursari, Gujba, Potiskum, Jakusko, Geidam, Yunusari, Yusufari, Bade, Nguru, and Gulani markets are monitored. Key highlights include:

• Overall, households are struggling to access food in Borno and Yobe States due to an
increase in the prices of key staple food commodities across most markets. The impact of
this is underscored by seasonally depleted household stocks and market supply
constraints, due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

• Compared to January, the price of red beans was rose slightly in monitored markets of
Borno, most notably in Tashan Bama (12%) and Custom (19%) markets. Similarly, in
Yobe, prices increased significantly in Bursari (13%), Yunusari, Geidam, Yusufari and
Potiskum by 33%, Nguru and Gashua (42%), Jakusko (48%) and Damaturu (54%), due to
increased demand from panic buyers and speculation and reduced supplies.

• The retail prices for imported rice has continually increased in all monitored markets in
Borno State, particularly in Tashan Bama (14%), Kasuwan Shanu, Bullumkutu and Baga
Road (16%), Monday (32%), Abbaganaram (21%), Budum (21%) and Custom (28%)
markets. Likewise, prices of imported rice increased in Damaturu (15%) and Nguru (20%).
The number of markets with available stocks remains limited by the border closures.

• Between March and April, the cost of the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB) for
a family of five increased by five (5) percent from 16,892 Naira to 17,806 Naira in
Maiduguri and Jere. Similarly, in Damaturu, the SMEB increased by seven (7) percent
between March and April (from 12,745 Naira to 13,579 Naira). The observed increase in
the SMEB stems from the increase in prices of imported rice, peanuts, maize, and red
beans.

• In April, Borno recorded its first case of COVID-19 and has continued to witness an
increase in the state. This led to the authorities enforcing control measures, including a
lockdown, market shutdown, and road closures, with the aim to curtail the spread of the
virus. Consequently, these events triggered panic buying to stock up food, which was
further compounded by the Ramadan season, and consequently leading to a surge in food
prices

 

 

 

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