BUJUMBURA December 30th (ABP) – The prices of certain basic food products including rice, beans, palm oil, have increased in price during this end-of-year celebration period, a check by ABP got informed during the trip she made on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, to two markets in the city of Bujumbura.
At the Bujumbura City Market, commonly known as “Chez Sion”, food prices have increased during this period of Christmas and New Year festivities, compared to the past two weeks.
It is the same case at the Jabe market. The prices of basic food items have gone up.
Thus, the situation of food prices at the market is as follows: first quality rice which was at 4800 BIF per kg currently costs 5200 BIF. That of the second quality is at 4800 BIF per kg while in the last two weeks it was at 4300 BIF and that of the third quality has gone from 3600 BIF to 3800 BIF.
The price of so-called yellow beans, which was 2800 BIF, is 3200 BIF per kg. That of Kinure is at 2800 BIF while it was at 2600 BIF.
The same situation is observed for palm oil. A 1.5-liter bottle went from 5500 BIF to 6500 BIF; a 1.5-liter bottle of cottonseed oil is at 11,000 BIF while it was at 10,500 BIF.
People who get their supplies in those markets complain that they cannot find enough to eat according to the means they have.
However, consumers point the fingers at traders, accusing them of taking advantage of this end-of-year period to raise the prices of basic necessities.
The sellers, on their part, explain this situation as resulting from climate change which caused the low production for the 2022 crop year.