Kano Awara Sellers Quit Business, Blame Soaring Ingredients’ Prices
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Multitudes of makers of Awara,a local delicacy widely consumed in Kano and its environs, have crashed out of business due to the high prices of ingredients.
The ingredients include Soybeans,cooking oil and pappy,whose prices have escalated of recent.
Awara is a staple food which is widely fried and consumed in Northern Nigeria, especially the Northwest.
An investigation conducted by Prime Time News in parts of Kano metropolis including Kurmawa, Nasarawa, Tarauni and Kwalli has revealed that many friers of the commodity have stopped production due to the soaring prices of the ingredients.
Some of the sellers told Prime Time News that they could no longer fry the commodity as they were producing at a loss.
One of them is Habiba Suleiman who said the high prices of the ingredients, especially cooking oil,have depleted her capital such that is was no longer feasible to remain in business.
“I used to have a capital of N10,000 with which I was buying Soybeans, cooking oil,and charcoal,but the high prices of these items have eaten up the capital, talk less of making any gains.
“To resume production and make gains,I need not less than N50,000, and I can’t raise that kind of money, especially with the current high cost of living in the country,”Habiba said.
Another seller of the delicacy,Raliya Sa’idu, also bemoaned the situation, saying that she had since closed down, as it was no longer feasible to sustain the business.
“The prices of Soybeans, cooking oil and charcoal have become so high that I have to quit the business because I don’t have the financial muzzle to continue,” Raliya lamented.
Hudu Mai Awara,one of the friers, however,said he only suspended production, pending when prices of the ingredients would stabilize.
“I have not stopped selling Awara perpetually;I hope to resume the business when the prices of cooking oil and Soybeans in particular, return to normal.Because it pains me seeing my customers coming to my joint and leaving without the delicacy,”Mai Awara explained.
Prime Time News reports that Soybeans which used to sell for N1,200 per measure,now sell for between N2,200 and N2,500 in the market.
Similarly,a pint of cooking oil used in frying Awara which sold for N1,500 before, now goes for about N3,000, while a sack of charcoal which cost N5,000 before,now sells for about N10,000.
Prime Time News also gathered that the situation is adversely affecting the less privileged in the area who used to savour Awara either as breakfast, lunch or even dinner,as a small “ball” of the stuff now costs N100,as against N50 before.
The checks found that most of the consumers can longer buy the delicacy from the few remaining Awara joints around.
