WITH the start of Eid-el-Fitry celebrations today, some food commodities are
sold at high prices at some of the Dar es Salaam markets due to high demand by consumers,
the survey by the Guardian can establish. Food commodities mostly affected were
those normally preferred during special religious occasions and big festivities
such as rice, cow meat as well as local and exotic bread chicken whose high
prices are normally characterized by a high demand by potential consumers. A
random survey by the Guardian carried out in most city markets reveals that, a kilogramme
of the best quality rice content is sold at a retail price of between Sh. 2,100
and Sh. 2,400 compared to the previous price of between Sh. 1,800 and Sh. 2,000
respectively. This is an increase of 20 percent.
Shabani
Abdallah, a retail trader at 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 boasting during religious occasions they reap big profits.
At
Buguruni market which is famous for selling bananas, prices was not normal as
almost every essential food commodity was raised by 25 percent. Cooking bananas
were sold at Sh. 1,000 for a bundle of four pieces instead of the six pieces as
it was used before.
Ripe bananas were
sold at between Sh. 200 and Sh. 250 each piece respectively instead of Sh. 100
and Sh. 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. The prices of mixed
meat at Gongo la Mboto butcheries rose from the normal Sh. 6,000 for a normal kilogram
to Sh. 7,000 a kilogram. The survey has further discovered that,
a kilogram of the steak meat has risen from Sh.
8,000 and now is fetched at Sh. 9,000. This is an increase of 14 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 there was no any change of meat prices at Kariakoo market as
these remained constant selling level as it was before. Both exotic and local
breed chickens are 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. 15,000, and a cock at a lower price of
Sh. 20,000. Exotic chicken were sold at a lower price rate of between Sh. 7,000
and Sh. 10,000 depending on their weights respectively.
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. Other
food commodities and condiments such as tomatoes and onions had been sold at
minimum prices as their supply is constant. A kilogram of onion has been sold
at Tshs. 2,400 whereas tomatoes have been fetched at Tshs. 2,200 a kilogram. Some
interviewed buyers at most markets have kindly requested the authorities
concerned from the municipal government to intervene such tremendous price
increase which normally occurs during festivities. They were astonished by some
traders who tend to benefit by increasing their consumable products at the
expense of the religious occasions. The Kariakoo market statistician Nicolus
Omolo from where all these commodities are purchased in bulk in the city says
that, there has been a constant supply of most of these commodities since the
start of the holy month of Ramadhan over a month ago. He said in a telephone
interview that, prices of such commodities sometimes rises up whenever there is
a high demand by consumers at a local market. He further said that,
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 presuming many people would emerge to buy their
products.
Omolo who is an economist by profession noted
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. Eid Al-Fitr is celebrated as the day of
breaking fast as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan ends. Muslims around the
world observe the holy month of Ramadan by fasting from dawn to dusk. Eid is a
reward for Muslims who, apart from fasting, have restrained themselves from
material and spiritual vices including, lying, cheating, violence and theft.
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