Staple Food Prices Soar in Bujumbura, Burundi
The price of the staple foods has increased by up to 67% at a key market in Bujumbura. At the Buyenzi Market called “Chez Sion”, the price of rice from Zambia has risen to BIF 400 per kilo from BIF 1200 just one month ago. Rice from Tanzania costs BIF 2000 per kilo, while it cost BIF 1800 per kilo a month ago. Yellow beans are now rare in the markets and sell for BIF 1,700, compared to BIF 1300 a month ago. Beans called “Kirundo”, which cost 900, now sell for BIF 1450. The price of local potatoes has increased from BIF 600 to BIF 1000 per kilo.
Traders said the price of staple foods has increased due to the lack of foreign currencies and to climate change. “Some agricultural food products come from abroad. Due to the lack of currency, we no longer import”, he says. For two months, there have been almost no potatoes (Ruhengeri) from Rwanda in Burundi.
In July 2016, the Burundian government banned trade with Rwanda. Since then, food prices have risen and shortages have become more common. Even before the ongoing political crisis that began in April 2015, Burundi was considered one of the hungriest countries in the world. The situation has since worsened, according to residents in the capital.
EC/ECHO/Martin Karimi