Burundi: shortage of beverages in the north and north-eastern provinces

The scarcity of drinks from Brarudi (Burundi Brewery Company) has been observed for a few days in the provinces of Kayanza, Kirundo, Ngozi and Muyinga in the north and north-east of Burundi. While some locals prepared to celebrate the New Year by sharing beer, drinks are scarce in cabarets. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Apart from the Soma-Burundi and Royale products, other drinks are rare such as blond Amstel, small Amstel, Primus and soft drinks.

The cause of this shortage is said to be the blockage of tractor-trailers that stumble on the road following landslides. The trip that a truck could make for 12 hours is done in a day or more.

Families that used to gather to celebrate the New Year say that “this situation is very unpleasant”.

Some families opted to end the year in prayer vigils, unable to stay home or go to bars without drinks.

Alongside this shortage of Brarudi products, the end of 2022 was characterized by a surge in prices on the market. Food is very expensive.

On December 31, 2021, for example, the price of a kilogram of rice in the north and north-eastern provinces was around 1600 to 1800 francs. Rice from Tanzania (highly appreciated by Burundian consumers) was bought at 2400 francs Burundian.

Today locally produced rice is bought between 3200 and 3400 francs while that of Tanzania costs 4000 Burundi francs per kilogram.

A kilogram of meat which was bought at 10 thousand can be bought at 12 thousand francs. The bunch of bananas that were bought between six and seven thousand sells for up to 12 thousand francs.

A kilogram of potato which cost seven hundred francs is now bought at 1200.

These prices are exorbitant, say some residents who report that they are unable to celebrate the New Year.

“It is regrettable to see processions of the country’s senior authorities crisscrossing all the provinces in the crusades organized by the President of the Republic while the population is dying of hunger”, criticized a resident of Kirundo who attended the crusade which took place in this province last week.