In downtown Algiers, at the Reda Houhou market, prices are high. Customers find it hard to cope with soaring prices, especially during the month of Ramadan.
Over the past three years, Algeria has bounced back economically thanks to the return of rising oil prices, but the effects of years of austerity still haunt the Algerian citizen.
“Every year, during the month of Ramadan, prices go up. Tomatoes at 120 or 140 dinars (per kg), meat at 2600 dinars (per kg), it’s really too much. Life has become too expensive, and this year even more so. Our wages don’t come close to covering our needs” said civil servant Mustapha Bali.
Amidst the lack of products and high prices, meat vendor Ahmed Laaloufi said he was forced to import all his produce.
“Meat is in sufficient quantity, there’s this product at 1350 dinars (per kg), it’s a good product and there’s the vacuum-packed product at 1200 DA (per kg) and the lamb we sell at 1500 dinars (per kg), all these products are imported from Spain, thank God this year meat is available in quantity.”
The Algerian government has subsidized a market in Algiers where products are affordable, and most importantly – available.
“The solidarity market initiative is a good thing, as it will help to reduce prices. If we compare with conventional markets, prices here are low. If we have to make an estimate, it’s about 20% (less than the normal market)”, Sofiane Ameri, a customer, said.
Nabil Djemaa, an analyst, explained that the inflation was on “on all raw materials and manufactured goods, particularly agricultural products such as semolina (wheat).”
“In economics, it’s clear that when there’s inflation, there’s automatically an increase in prices,” he added.
Credit: Africa News
