The management of Dawanau International Grains Market in Kano State has vehemently denied allegations of hoarding food items to create an artificial scarcity, as well as raising prices arbitrarily.
The market, the largest in West Africa, serves customers in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic, among other countries.
Alhaji Muttaka Isa, the President of the Dawanau Market Development Association, addressed these concerns during a press conference in Kano on Saturday.
Isa clarified that grain dealers procure food items from growers across the country and store them in the market's warehouses before selling them to customers.
The range of products includes rice, millet, sorghum, beans, wheat, groundnuts, Sobo, Sesame Seeds, Hibiscus, Tamarind, and Soybeans, with exports reaching Asia, Europe, and other global markets.
Isa emphasized that the recent surge in food prices across the country had led to misinformation and disinformation about the market's operations. He stated, "We are dealers with an average daily turnover of N30 billion. Farmers from far and near bring their products here, which we buy and sell wholesale to industries and for exports. We cannot possibly hoard them."
He further explained that the goods in the warehouses were in transit and needed to be stored to prevent spoilage and for convenience purposes.
Isa highlighted the market's role as a supplier to governments and organizations, including the Federal Government of Nigeria and the World Food Programme, which purchase grains for distribution to IDP camps.
Isa urged the public, particularly business partners, to disregard baseless rumors, emphasizing the market's commitment to genuine business practices. He added that the reduction in grain prices at the market was a response to the economic challenges faced by the people in the state.
The new prices include a bag of maize at N53,000 (down from N60,000), guinea corn at N49,000 (previously N55,000), millet at N53,000 (from N60,000), and beans ranging from N85,000 to N90,000 (formerly N95,000 to N100,000), among others. Isa assured the public of the market's dedication to the progress and well-being of its customers and the economic development of Nigeria.