Some traders in Lagos are lamenting the low sales of their commodities since the commencement of the raining season.

A trader at the Mile 12 market, Alhaja Adijatu Omilani said on Tuesday that there had been low patronage from customers in the last one month.

“The raining season is usually feared by many traders who operate in open stalls.

“Customers do not usually come for shopping because of the messy environment of the markets,” she said.

Mrs Ireti Olawoyin, another trader at the Oshodi main market, said that some commodities were usually more expensive during raining season.

“The deplorable condition of the Nigerian roads makes it difficult for farm produce to be transported to big cities during the raining season.

“This creates a form of scarcity and consequently increases prices of these commodities.

“This is not good enough because rainfall should cause increase in the supply of agricultural produce,” she said.

Mrs Olawoyin appealed to the government to repair the roads for easier movement of commodities to the cities.

Mr Ayo Mudashiru, a trader at Mile 12 market, said that various market traders associations would check excesses of traders who were in the habit of exploiting their customers in the raining season.

“Some traders are in the habit of exploiting members of the public during the season.

“We have heard reports that trailers bringing pepper and tomatoes from the north are being hijacked by some of our members who now inflate prices of these commodities. “Our associations will ensure that such people are sanctioned.

“We will also prevent such occurrences and regulate our prices at the association level,” he said.