By: Nyima Sillah
Barely months after shortage of bread hit the country along with skyrocketing of staple food prices there comes shortage of egg as people are calculating weeks to Holy Month of Ramadan.
Both buyers and sellers within the Greater Banjul Area have registered their concerns about the situation as powerful traders hike prices on the food commodity.
A crate of eggs which was at D200 is now selling between D250 and D300, depend in area you are buying, this has prompted shopkeepers to adjust price as one piece of egg is now D8/D10.
Aliue Minteh, who sells chicken said: “I am frustrated as the cost has increased and this has caused so many effects on my business. I don’t know how to sell to my customers because if I buy a crate D300 I will not have any profit. Egg is often consumed by many people and over the past weeks traders and consumers faced some challenges in buying crate of egg formerly costing D200 but now D300. And I am afraid of the sudden increment of food commodities on the verge of Ramadan.”
“It is a sad reality that all the prices of commodities are increasing on daily basis the government should take note that this could have a huge impact on the lives and livelihood of people during Ramadan.”
Hakeem Jallow, also a trader, said he has not been selling lately because his supplier has stop bringing supplies.
He said it is a challenging moment for him but prefers not selling than buying without having profit in return.
However, he said “This is the most difficult part of business cause our business industry is not under control and this making many businesses standstill and is causing negative impacts on petty traders like me,”
“All prices of food commodities have increased and people in the business industry are always criticized by the public. They should know that we are not responsible for the sudden increment of any food commodities in the country,” he stressed.
According to him, a few months ago, the Ministry of Trade intervened yet there is no improvement, the Gambia Consumer Protection also said they will play a role in making sure that the situation is under control before Ramadan, “but I am not seeing any sign in the reduction of commodities.”