For several weeks, Algeria has seen the price of fruit and vegetables increase by 40 to 50% between wholesale and retail. For example, a tomato is sold on the wholesale market for 110 DA and sold by retail dealer for 160 DA.
The National Association of Traders and Craftsmen (ANCA) addressed the issue at a meeting in Algiers and deduced that three factors are the cause of these soaring prices.
First, there is the increase in demand for school and university restaurants and the mismanagement of the wholesale market by APCs. There is also a lack of local shops, with a deficit of 500 markets. In addition, these markets do not meet acceptable standards: for example entry and exit times are not defined; there is an absence of weekly rest days, as well as a lack of lighting and non-compliance with specifications. The ANCA calls on public authorities (Ministry of the Interior, Local Authorities and Town and Country Planning, as well as the Ministry of Commerce) to entrust the management of these markets "to public enterprises of an economic and commercial nature (EPIC) instead of APCs." There is also the presence of many illicit markets that drive prices up.
The disruption of the vegetable market is a logical consequence of the small number of distribution channels. The Ministries of the Interior and Commerce have promised an extensive program to create wholesale and local shops to "stabilize the chain from production to consumption".
Source: ElWatan.com