Some butchers in Bauchi have expressed concern over low patronage amid soaring meat prices.
They also called for proactive measures to reduce the high cost of animal feeds and transport fares, which pushed livestock prices up.
The cross-section of the butchers stated this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Bauchi.
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A NAN check at the Muda Lawal Market in Bauchi metropolis showed that a kilogramme of beef was sold between N6,500 and N7,000, as against its old price of N6,000.
Mr Haladu Mohammed, a meat seller, said that he was not making good sales due to low patronage.
He said that prices were going up due to the high cost of cattle, goats and other animals in the last two months.
Mohammed said that the trend made the trade less attractive as butchers struggle to recover monies invested in buying livestock.
He also identified erratic power supply as one of the major challenges affecting the trade, adding that the situation exposed butchers to counting losses as they could not preserve livestock products under hot weather conditions.
“The situation results in meat getting spoiled, leading to financial losses for traders,” he said.
Another butcher, Malam Usman, attributed the poor market condition to the hike in livestock prices.
He said that an average cow that yields about 40 kilogrammes of meat was sold at N350,000, as against N250,000.
“Customers are no longer buying meat in large quantities due to the increase in livestock prices and the economic crunch,” he said.
Also, Adamu Abdullahi, a resident, said that he had dropped meat out of his shopping menu due to exorbitant prices.
He said that he bought only one kilogramme of meat daily for his household consumption.
“Previously, I used to buy large quantities of meat due to its cheaper prices and affordability,” Abdullahi said.
Another customer, Mary Musa, said that she previously bought two kilogrammes of meat, but reduced it to one kilogramme due to the prevailing economic conditions.
Musa said that the situation had forced her to embrace alternative sources of nutrition to meet her family's needs.
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