Basic Commodities: Gov’t Facilitates Access Through Promotional Sales

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Basic Commodities: Gov’t Facilitates Access Through Promotional Sales

30 juin 2022 15:32

The Yaounde May 20th Boulevard is witnessing a teaming crowd of consumers thronging the arena since June 27 to purchase basic commodities on a cheaper price.

T he increasing high cost of living experienced these days in Cameroon and elsewhere in Africa due to the devastating coronavirus effects and the Russia-Ukraine crisis is having a heavy toll on family income and nutrition habits. Cognizant to this hardship imposed on citizens by the exogenous factors, the government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Trade is organizing promotional sales of basic commodities in partnership with some business operators. The promotional sales in some cities of the country facilitates access to basic food commodities at a relatively cheaper price.

In Yaounde, the parking lot at the May 20th Boulevard is serving as the market where a dozen of makeshift shops have been mounted to serve the teaming number of customers who are thronging the venue since Monday June 27. When Cameroon Business Today visited the periodic market that is expected to run for a month, basic food items like beef, vegetable oil, rice, sugar and other basic household items could be seen on display with customers rushing to grab the opportunity. Though are the tents are yet to be occupied, those already occupied are pulling a crowd of passers-by who are enticed by the prices. For instance, a litre of vegetable oil (Mayor) which sells in normal markets in Yaounde at FCFA 1700 or FCFA 1800 is sold at FCFA 1450, giving a difference of FCFA 250 or FCFA 300. A kilogram of sugar sells at FCFA 600 at the promotional sales market while same quantity go for FCFA 700 in the routine market. For Indian rice, a 50kg rice sells at FCFA 17500 for broken grains against FCFA 18,500 in the market, giving a difference of FCFA 1000. As for beef, a kilogramme of meat without bones sells at FCFA 2,800 unlike FCFA 3,000 in markets across Yaounde while the same quantity with bones sells at FCFA 2,300 a...