Residents of Kano State have decried a sharp increase in egg prices and scarcity of the commodity three days into Ramadan, as rising demand and dwindling supply disrupt access to the staple food item for iftar meals.
A correspondent, who visited major markets in the metropolis, reports that eggs, once considered an affordable source of protein, have become scarce, with prices surging beyond the reach of many households during the holy month.
A major distributor in Tudun Yola Quarters, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, attributed the development to high production costs and declining supply from poultry farms.
“During Ramadan, demand usually spikes by 50 per cent, but this year, we are supplying 40 per cent less than usual,” Idris said.
He explained that many poultry farmers had shut down operations due to the high cost of feed and maintenance.
“The high cost of production makes it almost impossible to sell at a price the people of Kano can afford,” he added.
Idris further disclosed that farmers in Kumbotso, Gezawa and Rimin Gado Local Government Areas had reduced production even before the commencement of Ramadan.
“When production drops at the source, we dealers have nothing to transport to the city. This is the hardest Ramadan I have ever seen for egg distribution. It’s only day three, and we have already run out of supplies,” he lamented.
Similarly, another egg seller, Idris Auwal, said the situation had changed within a short period.
“Before Ramadan fasting began, eggs were available and prices had dropped, but people did not have the money to buy them. Now, eggs are no longer available, and people need them, but the price has increased. An egg that was sold for N200 is now N300,” he said.
The scarcity was also observed in Fagge and Kabuga areas of the metropolis, where shop owners said customers were frequently turned away due to lack of stock.
Sadiq Ibrahim, a retailer in Tudun Yola, said the price of a crate of eggs had risen from N5,500 to N6,500.
“People ask for eggs every moment, but the answer is simply ‘not available,’” he said.
Some traders said that supply chains from Jos in Plateau and Ogun States, which usually complement local production, were overstretched and unable to meet the growing demand in Kano.
Residents, however, called for urgent government intervention to support poultry farmers and stabilise supply, warning that the shortage might worsen as Ramadan progresses.
