PRICES of some food crops have gone up in Dar es Salaam due to increased demand during the festivities, the 'Daily News' survey has established.
During festive seasons, the demand for food items such as rice, beans, meat, potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onions rises, resulting in an increase in prices that leaves both vendors and customers in Dar es Salaam markets distressed.
The majority of vendors and buyers lamented that the prices were more moderate before the festive season but escalated during the holiday month.
Ms Martha Juma, working at Buguruni market, shared her experience, stating that in mid-December, the wholesale price of a sack of carrots was 35,000/-, but skyrocketed to 75,000/-, hence forcing them to raise the price as well.
"The new price of carrots and green peppers from the farmers has made us unable to maintain the previous prices.
Now, one kilogramme of carrots and green peppers costs 4000/-, whereas before December, I used to sell it at 2000/-," Martha explained.
She added that many people coming to the market complained about the prices as well.
Due to the high demand for these food products in the markets, some vendors anticipate even higher prices today.
Other vendors mentioned that the price of tomatoes per kilogramme during this season is 3000/-, and it is expected to rise further, reaching up to 4000/-.
Another vendor, Pensia Mlowola from Mabibo market, expressed the difficulties that they and their customers face, as the price of a wooden box of tomatoes increased from 45,000/- in November to 75,000/- by the weekend.
Mlowola stated, "This price is very high, nearly twice the price we used to buy in the previous months of November and October. This not only affects us but also our customers because we have to sell a single tomato at 300/- ."
Kalunde Aidan, a customer at Buguruni market, said she planned to shop in preparation for New Year's Eve, but the high prices of food items was a challenge to her.
She remarked, "We used to get super rice for 2,600/- per kilogramme, but now you can't have it for less than 3,500/-. Additionally, even a cabbage, that was trading at 1,000/-, now sell for 2,500/-.
She said the same goes for carrots, green peppers, onions and tomatoes.
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Ms Aidan also noted that sometimes it was not the suppliers who were inflating prices, but rather some vendors were taking advantage of the high demand to maximise their profits during this season.
According to the Monthly Economic Review of November 2023 issued by the Bank of Tanzania (BOT), the food supply in major domestic markets remained adequate, although prices of essential food crops exhibited a mixed trend.
"The price of maize, a primary staple food, declined, while prices of rice, beans, and sorghum increased," the report states.
The statistics released on December 15, 2023, by the Ministry of Investment Industry and Trade indicate that the wholesale price for 100 kilogrammes of rice was 240,000/-, while the retail price was 3,300/- per kilogramme.
Beans were selling at 290,000/- and retailed at 3,700/- per kilogramme while a sack of 100 kilogrammes of potatoes was selling at 100,000/-, with a retail price of 3,700/- per kilogramme in Dar es Salaam.
