The Federal Government (FG) has been requested to declare a state of emergency on food security by the Association of Professional Food Service Providers (APFSPN) in response to the recent spike in food costs.The appeal was made by the organization's president, Monioluwa Osho, during a recent rally in Lagos against the ongoing rise in commodity prices. "Food prices have continued to be on the rise across Nigerian markets daily," stated Osho, the CEO of Simply She Catering Limited. Due to the elimination of gasoline subsidies, the inhabitants' purchasing power has decreased and their living conditions have further deteriorated as a result of the galloping inflation.
"APFSPN members are protesting the daily increase in food prices that is causing their catering businesses to gradually go out of business."Morenike Okupe, the Chief Executive of Malas Catering Limited and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of APFSPN, further stated that among the food commodities under observation were Garri, wheat, beef, sugar, millet, tomatoes, flour, noodles, and vegetable and palm oils.
The protracted unrest, bad policies, CBN Naira floating, and the conflicts between Israel and Hamas and Russia and Ukraine are aggravating the rise in food prices.
A bag of rice's price grew by 60.5% in a year, and transportation costs increased by 60.59%, according to APFSPN Spokesperson Folake Oba-Kausumu.
"One bag of rice has increased to N60,000 as the populace prepare for the holiday season, marking a 17-year high as food costs keep rising.
In order to limit the increase in the price of commodities like grains, APFSPN consequently made a plea to the Federal Government to release reserves from the grain silos.