Gitega: the price of food products goes up to double, residents are worried

Residents in the political town of Gitega (central Burundi) say they are overwhelmed by a dizzying rise in the price of food products. Most commodities on the market have nearly doubled in price. Administration officials accuse traders of speculating on the price, while the latter speak of the devaluation of the local currency. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The dizzying rise in the price of food products is widespread. Residents report being unable to deal with the matter.

“The price of a kg of simple bean and that known as Kinure rose respectively from 1,500 to 1,900 and from 1,800 to 2,200 Burundi francs. That of rice increased by up to a thousand francs, depending on the variety. The most expensive is the so-called Tanzanian one which costs 4,500 Burundi francs per kilo”, say residents.

The increase in price has been observed over the past two months.

They add that even
the generally less expensive potato rose from nine hundred to 1,200 francs per kg and that “colocase, cassava, flour, bananas […] also experienced a dizzying rise in price on the market”.

The Gitega zone chief accuses traders of speculating on the price of food products, but the latter reject the allegation. They explain the increase by the devaluation of the Burundian currency.

In addition to the explanations, farmers think that this is due to low production caused by the unavailability in time of agricultural inputs including fertilizers from the company FOMI (Organo-Mineral Fertilizer) as well as climatic hazards.

The Gitega urban zone chief indicates that a permanent committee responsible for monitoring prices has been set up.

“Speculator traders on the price will be punished”, he threatened.

In several other provinces of the small East African nation, including Bubanza and Cibitoke (northwest of the country), inhabitants indicate that they can no longer cope with the high cost of living.