Second-Hand Clothes Market Booms in Katsina as Harmattan Bites Harder

 

Reports say that some major streets in Funtua, Katsina, Daura, Dutsinma and Malumfashi towns in the state have been hijacked by hawkers of such clothes. People from villages around the towns are trooping to patronise the hawkers, who sell the clothes at affordable prices. 

The cold and hazy weather which envelopes the state since December, 2012 has forced people to rush for the clothes. Most buyers rush for cardigans, jeans and thick blankets for both adults and children.   

Reports say that cardigans for adults and children which were hitherto selling for N350 and 200 respectively, now cost between N500 and N300, while blankets now cost N1,500. Prices of woollen caps have also gone up to between N150 and N180 as against the previous price of N80. 

One of the customers at Yar’Kutungu Market, Katsina, Jummai Mainono, said she was buying cardigans and blankets for her children to protect them from the severe cold. 

Similarly, a second-hand clothes dealer in Katsina, Sabitu Maigwanjo, said ``the harmattan period is our season as business has now picked up.”