Ethiopian Price Control Taskforce Seals Over 80 Wholesale Shops

The Ethiopian price control taskforce sealed over 80 wholesale shops of cereals and grain in Addis Ababa in connection with the food price hikes in the country, APA learned on Monday.

The task force was established to deal with price control in the country. It is in charge of monitoring the price of cereals and grains as well as on sugar, edible oil, rice, spaghetti, and other food items.

The head of the Industry and development bureau at the Addis Ababa Yeka subcity, Yonas Alemu, told journalists on Monday that the wholesale shops were shut down for making a substantial increase on the prices of cereal products.

“The government told the wholesalers to display their daily price in a visible place, which will help us to monitor prices of food items. Over 80 shops were closed after the task force found them selling cereals and grains above the price, which is being monitored by the government,” Alemu said.

In April, the government put in place a mechanism to control the price of food items in order to minimize the food price hikes which are affecting many people, specially the underprivileged.

“It is ridiculous to see such a price increase on locally produced food items. We are not importing food. All our daily food items are locally produced. Why are the traders making such a big increase? The government should take action,” Metaferia Belete, a resident of Addis Ababa, told APA in one cereal shop.

Only last week, a 20 % increase was observed on cereal products.

The government is distributing wheat and edible to the poor at monthly affordable prices.

The price of food is becoming a global crisis, which is affecting millions of people in developing countries, mainly in Africa.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher