By Elizabeth Adegbesan
The outcome of the high cost of living which is reflected in the prices of goods and services has also landed on the side of plantain.
Spicy plantain chips, also known as Ikpekere in Yoruba language is a snack taken by all in Nigeria.
The improvement in branding and packaging has led to the snack being sold in sealed packs or plastic cans with producer’s labels.
The snack which is made from fried ripe or unripe plantain is hawked in traffic and found in shops and shopping malls.
Economy&Lifestyle discovered that due to the increased cost of plantain, most plantain chips producers now use bananas as replacement or better still abandon the business.
According to Mrs. Amarachi George, a plantain chips producer, the cost of everything used in producing plantain chips has risen including plantain.
“I have been panel beating the capital I used to begin this plantain chips business. The cost of production has highly increased since 2018 when I began the business. Almost the prices of everything have tripled.
“Many people in the business have diverted to producing banana chips in the name of plantain chips because of the high cost of plantain.
“I wouldn’t do such, so I produce in plastics and supply to supermarkets instead of packaging in fancy nylons with labels whose prices have also increased.
“My production rate has declined because many no longer go for snacks and if they will, they go for things that will hold their stomachs like puff puff, meat pie, corn among other things, leaving us to the hands of God for survival.
“A bunch of plantain sold for N3, 000 is now N7, 000 to N8, 000. Bigger bunches are between N8, 500 to N10, 000.
“The price of banana is even fair. So that is why many opt for it instead of plantain.”
Mr. Oluwatobiloba Ayan, a plantain and banana distributor noted that the cost of a bunch of plantain from the farm is N8, 000 alongside logistics and other levies paid when transporting the produce.
“Few years ago, the cost of a big bunch of plantain from the farm was N2,000 to N3,000 but now it is between N5,000 to N6,500. When we add logistics and other expenses we sell for N7,000 to N8,000 per bunch depending on the size.
“The cost of an unripe bundle of Igbo banana that was between N1,000 to N1,500 is now N3,000 while that of Yoruba banana which was N1000 to N1,500 a few years ago is now N2,500.
“The demand for plantain is very high now. Before the cost of plantain was determined by its season but now it is determined by its availability because most farmers have abandoned their farms due to the rate of insecurity especially in the north.
“As the truck of plantain is conveyed, various levies are paid at various points. All these determine the cost of plantain and banana.”
For Mrs. Mosunmola Ayoola, a plantain chips producer, mixes banana and plantain to make chips which according to her the difference cannot be noticed by consumers.
“Every business in Nigeria today is being sustained by God. Many of my colleagues in the plantain chips business have abandoned it for potato chips or kulikuli.
“Before you can start a plantain chip business with a capital of N50, 000 to N100,000. But now you need to have above N200,000 to start a quality plantain chips business.
“If you visit the market you will see four tiny pieces of plantain sold for N1, 000. Even when it is the season, there is a slight difference of an additional one piece in the quantity and no reduction in price.
“I had to add an equal quantity of banana to the quantity of plantain I use for production of the chips. This is because bananas are cheap when compared to plantain. This would make consumers not notice the changes. I get plantain sizes just like banana sizes to balance the size difference.
“With all these, I get little profits as the prices of nylons, labels and things used for production have increased.”
Banana chips have so many health benefits. It also provides magnesium, vitamin A, iron, phosphorus, and potassium in small quantities. These nutrients benefit your eyes and may prevent high blood pressure.
However, this snack is loaded with excess calories, saturated fat and sugar. For a healthier alternative, none fried bananas are the best option to snack but if you choose to eat banana chips , choose dried or baked, not fried banana chips not flavoured with sugar.
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June 26, 2023 at 06:53AM
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Economy: Nigerians replace plantain chips with banana - Vanguard
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