Government Initiated Food Outlets Creating An Impact In Markets The Conflict in South Sudan that erupted in December 2015 has up to date led to an economic meltdown in the country.
06 June 2017 Business ladies at one of the markets in Juba waiting for customers [Photo by Garang Malak] By Garang Abraham MalakJUBA, 06 June 2017 [Gurtong]- In addition to displacement of people the conflict has led to destruction of infrastructure including markets.The means for people to attain sustainable living in South Sudan has also been affected. There has been an increase in the prices of all commodities in the market. Recently the government opened a food items outlets called Ramciel where prices of commodities have been subsidized and has since created an impact in the markets. During an interview with some of the businessmen in Juba, Amos Rahim one of the shop keepers in Konyo-Konyo market stated that for the past few days since the opening of the Ramciel food outlets, they have experienced gradual reduction in major commodities such as maize flour, cooking oil, beans, sugar and wheat flour (Azam). “We used to sell a 50kg of maize flour at 8,000SSP, a bag of sugar at 6,000SSP, 20liters of cooking oil at 6,700SSP but now a 50kg of Maize flour is sold at 5,250SSP, 10kg of sugar at 1,300SSP and 20lites of cooking oil at 4,800SSP” Amos explained. Amos stated that business is what puts food on his table and takes care of his family.“This business has helped me a lot. I am using this money to pay my children’s school fees in both primary and secondary schools and at the same time help my relatives.”“I am calling upon our government to avoid too much taxation of goods at the boarder points, once those goods are over taxed then the importing companies sell them to us expensively and we too sell them expensively so that we can recover our profits,” stressed Amos. Another shop keeper, Ahmed, a sub-dealer who works and also benefits from the government initiated (Ramciel outlets) said that the few commodities that were imported like maize flour, beans, cooking oil among others have been sold to consumers at subsidized prices. Ahmed who owns center number 5 at Kator sale center (one of the Ramciel Outlets) stressed that since the importation of the food items to the country, there has been a big change in the market to both the sellers and the buyers.He further explained that that subsidiary prices are pocket friendly to the consumers as a 50 kg bag of maize flour goes for 4,748SSP, a bag of beans at 6,885SSP,a bag of sugar at 5,432SSP,wheat flour (Azam) at 3,728SSP and 20litres of cooking oil at 2,907SSP compared to the old prices in the market which were sky rocketing. “The government is committed to serve the citizens thus we will not give up, we will continue importing more till we eradicate the prize fluctuation alarming in the country” said Ahmed. Interviewed after buying maize flour, sugar and cooking oil, Margret Dudu appreciates the government the government’s efforts in subsidizing prices of commodities in the market and that it should continue with the same spirit of serving its citizens, “Such services are the services that are supposed to be provided by the government to its citizens,” said Dudu. Taban John a businessman operating in custom market applauded the government for having taken the bold decision of supplying the market with the major commodities which are the most consumed goods in the country.“If the government continues with such a good system, citizens will at least save the little money they get instead of spending the whole salary on food items like what has been happening before. This days we don’t even take a little money out of our salaries to bank, am experiencing that and I think my colleagues are also experiencing the same” stated Taban. Mary Abaja a business lady and a mother of 5 children who sells vegetable in Jebel market stressed that she will be glad if the government continues with the initiative of Ramciel outlets. Posted in: Featured Stories- See more at: http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ID/20538/Default.aspx#sthash.K6z4rDca.dpuf -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/southsudankob View this message at https://groups.google.com/d/msg/southsudankob/topic-id/message-id For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "South Sudan Info - The Kob" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/SouthSudanKob. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/SouthSudanKob/CAJb14opJRvzkE1%2BSGQAQ676F_g4rmuvTuJuBPvzsBbuo1xNjJQ%40mail.gmail.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
