Wheat flour, eggs, sugar, butter, milk and cod are some of the goods that have seen their value increase with each passing day.
According to a survey carried out by Novo Jornal in the Golf-2, Palanca, Correios, Teixeira and Congolenses markets, it was found that the values of the goods in greatest demand at this time of the year have risen practically daily.
For example, the price of a package of wheat flour is ranging between 17,000 and 17,500 kwanzas against the previous 16,500 kwanzas. In turn, sugar (packaging of 50 kilograms) went from 18,900 kwanzas to 20,000 kwanzas.
The rise was also noted in the value of the egg carton, which according to Novo Jornal, went from 2500 kwanzas to 3500 kwanzas, while cod is worth 18,000 kwanzas.
Already 25 kilograms of maize meal are being sold at 8000 kwanzas against the previous 6500 kwanzas. The same amount of rice went from 6500 kwanzas to between 7800 and 8500 kwanzas.
According to Novo Jornal, the price of a box of pasta also rose, from 3,300 kwanzas to 4,000 kwanzas, while 50 kilograms of beans rose from 17,000 kwanzas to 18,000 kwanzas.
The survey carried out by the same newspaper also reveals that there were also increases in chicken leg (packaging of 10 kilograms) and in vegetable oil. Thus, 10 kilograms of chicken leg rose to 10,200 kwanzas when previously they were worth between 7,000 and 8,000 kwanzas, while 25 liters of vegetable oil increased from 13,000 kwanzas to 14,200, five liters are currently worth 4,200 kwanzas and one liter costs 1,100 kwanzas.
Among other products, there were also increases in goods traded at retail. This is the case of wheat flour (one kilogram) which costs 450 kwanzas when previously it was worth between 250 and 300 kwanzas and the half carton of eggs which increased to 1750 kwanzas against the previous 1450 kwanzas, exemplifies Novo Jornal.
Speaking to the same newspaper, Fátima Ribeiro, in the Congo market (Golf-2), showed dissatisfaction with the scenario: "The people have been experiencing many difficulties, these increases are absurd, because the population pays more and takes little".
"Sellers take advantage of the Christmas season, because they know that most of the population saves some values for purchases," she added, quoted by Novo Jornal.
The same view is shared by Selma de Carvalho who considered the "financial conditions of the country" as "terrible", indicating that it is not logical for sellers to "raise prices". "The country's financial conditions are terrible and it makes no sense for traders to raise prices, even knowing the economic difficulties that Angola has been experiencing," she said, also quoted by Novo Jornal.
Complaints also include dealers. A saleswoman at the Teixeira market, Teresa Barroso said that the "situation is not going well at all", adding that they go to the warehouses to buy the goods, but prices vary from day to day.
"We go to stores to buy a product, but the price we pay one day is not the same as the one we find the next," she told Novo Jornal.
The Strategic Food Reserve (REA) forecasts for this week (19th to 25th December) a drop in prices of the basic basket of around 41 percent compared to November last year.
According to REA forecasts, in the period in question, 25 kilograms of wheat flour should cost 8250 kwanzas while the same amount of maize meal will cost 6600 kwanzas.
Still for this week, the REA estimates that sugar (packaging 50 kilograms) will cost 19,457 kwanzas while 25 kilograms of Thai rice and the same amount of Myanmar rice will be worth 7,000 and 6,800 kwanzas, respectively.
12 liters of soy oil is expected to cost 9,700 kwanzas, while pinto beans (packaging of 25 kilograms) is expected to be sold at 12,200 kwanzas and a chicken leg (10 kilograms) is expected to cost 9,000 kwanzas, in the period in question.
