Dar residents astonished as EID celebrations triggered high food prices

SOME food commodities were sold at high prices at most of the Dar es Salaam markets due to high demand by consumers during the just ended Eid-el-Haji celebrations, Food commodities mostly affected were those normally preferred during special religious occasions and big festivities. The high prices of such foodstuffs are normally characterized by a high demand by potential consumers. Shabani Abdallah, a wholesale trader at the Ilala market in the city said he bought 200 bags of rice from Mbeya and took only one week to dispose of the whole consignment. At other times, it would normally take him about a month to finish the lot. He said during such periods they reap big profits. A random survey at the city markets reveals that, a whole sale price of rice at Ilala market was sold at between Tshs. 140,000 and Tshs. 150,000 for a 100 kilogram bag and sometimes higher depending on its quality. A retail price of the same commodity was fetched at between Tshs. 1,600 and Tshs. 1,750 per kilo, and this is the price of the best quality rice compared to the previous price of Tshs. 1,400 and Tshs. 1,550 a kilogram respectively. At Buguruni market which is famous for selling bananas, prices were not normal as almost every essential food commodity was raised by 25 percent. Cooking bananas were sold at Tshs. 1,000 for a bundle of four pieces instead of the six pieces as it was used before. Ripe bananas were sold at between Shs. 200 and Sh. 250 each piece respectively instead of Shs. 100 and shs. 150 as it was before. According to one trader, Omar Salehe, there is no constant price for consumable products for most traders take the advantage of the festivities.

A congested part of the Kariakoo market at the heart of Dar es Salaam city.

The prices of mixed meat at Gongo la Mboto butcheries rose from the normal Tshs. 4,000 for a kilogram to Tshs. 5,000 a kilogram. This is an increase of 25 percent. Attributing for such a tremendous rise, Mvunda Kipelego a famous meat trader said that, the prices of cows at the nearby Pugu Cattle market were skyrocketed. The survey shows that, a steak meat and goat meat was sold at Tshs. 6,000 instead of the previous prices of Tshs. 5,000 per kilo. Exotic and local breed chicken were far from their normal price as these were rarely seen and apart from that, their prices were unaffordable to ordinary people. The survey can reveal that, a local breed hen was fetched at a lower price of Tshs. 10,000, and a cock at Tshs. 15,000. Exotic chicken were sold at between Tshs. 7,000 and Tshs. 9,000 respectively. However, they could be made affordable only during such festivities. Irish potatoes commodity from which a favourite fried chips is made as a popular food for most young residents including adults in the city of Dar es Salaam remained unchanged at Tshs. 1,000 a kilogram. This price has been virtually remained at a constant level for about two years now in almost all Dar es Salaam markets and their suburbs. The survey shows that, rice, meat cooking oil and Irish potatoes are the most preferred foods during festivities. Other food commodities and condiments such as tomatoes and onions had been sold at a minimum prices as their supplies is constant. A kilogram of onion has been sold at Tshs. 1,400 whereas tomatoes has been fetched at Tshs. 1,200 a kilo. However, market statistics from the main Kariakoo market from where all these commodities are purchased in bulk shows constant supplies of most of these commodities. But prices of such commodities rises up whenever there is a high demand says a market statician Mr. Nicolus Omolo. According to him, unscrupulous traders sometimes are to blame as they tend to rise up some food commodities during religious festivities as they take advantage of the celebrity for unknown reasons as they presume many people would emerge to buy their products. He further said that, the situation is unavoidable as the demand for such commodities surge up within a short time and then the prices falls down to a normal business trend when such festivities comers to an end.