High price increase of household products dim the celebration of Easter. Both demand and supply from the consumer and supplier standpoints show increase even when compared to previous holidays such as that of Christmas.
It is always a familiar sight to see the markets full to the brim during the last days of the holiday. However this time round most of the consumers seem to be complaining about the prices of commodities. Furthermore, the traders themselves are complaining that the market condition has escalated above proportion.
The food items price spike continues to be a headache to majority of the population. In most of the huge markets in the city as Capital has observed the market is showing double price increase even when compared to the Christmas festivities from few months back.
Both food items and non-food items are shooting in price as supply of the commodity is showing shortage. Furthermore there are instances of high stake-overs in terms of the price of vegetables and grains including, teff, and other necessities which has lasted over a month has financial burdened the population in addition to the continued surge in the prices of edible oil and spices (pepper).
Even though government is taking different mechanisms to stabilize the oil market it doesn’t seem to be working, since five liters of oil has hit highs of 1200 in the market. To put that into perspective similar periods of last year would cost a customer 400 birr per 5L. Likewise onion has shown a jump from 35 birr to 45 birr per kilo while a kilo of butter now ranges from 600 up to 800 birr up from 450-600 birr from last year.
As a result, in a country that has seen double digit inflation rates for the last two years, meat markets has seen a spike in the prices of sheep and cattle, the latter fetching between 25,000 and 100,000 birr.
Mostly cattle, butter, eggs and chicken come to the city from various parts of the country, mainly from Harar, Gojam, Arbaminch and Jimma. However, the uprising conflicts in the country have made traders to fear to move from place to place thus the price of some products are increasing by double and some are showing significant increments.
Kera, Akaki, Shegole, Bercheko are the largest cattle markets receiving cattle from different parts of the country, mainly from Harar, Wellega, Bahirdar, Jimma, Gonder and Wolayita among others. Usually, sale of livestock inside the center reflects significant seasonal variations on demand and supply.
As Capital has learnt in most markets, the price of cattle is showing 50 percent increase when compared to Christmas. Usually, the price is based on the type, size and origin of the cattle.
The price of sheep ranges from 5000 to 15,000 birr while goats cost between 4000 and 10,000 birr. In most cases the price of an ox has shown the highest price increase as even the smallest in size is said to cost 40,000 birr which was 25,000 birr on Christmas.
“Recent unrest in some parts of the country has made it difficult to receive cattle from parts of the country. And on the last two days of the holiday the price is expected to be raised even more,” expressed one trader in an interview.
In most markets of the city traders are selling an egg between 8 and 9 birr which was 6 to 7 birr last year, whereas a chicken would set consumers back between 800-1300 birr based on their size which was between 450 to 650 birr last year.
Apart from the traditional markets in the city these days, digitalized market platforms are also becoming preferable.
HelloBeg is one of these platforms. A group of young entrepreneurs started selling live cattle per kilo sparking a new buzz in trend starting from last Ethiopian Christmas. For this holiday Hellobeg has prepared more than 3000 sheep and goats and 200 oxen. According to general manager Zekaria Ahmed, Hellobeg sells the cattle with about 30 up to 50 percent discounts from the traditional market. However price increase in the market and shortage of supply has presented a big challenge for the Easter market. As he indicates, when they started their operation in Christmas, the price of sheep was 150 birr per kilo and due to the increasing price of cattle it is now 200 birr per kilo. The price of goat per kilo is now 250 birr whilst that of an ox is 130 per kilo. Hellobeg also has a delivery mechanism for its customers.
Similarly, Mama’s Chicken has also presented about 2000 chickens with affordable price for the holiday according to the general manager, Daniel Tadesse. As he refers most of the chicken in the normal market is up to 900 birr while that of Mama’s chicken is sold at 600 birr including 10 eggs.
It is a well-known fact that Ethiopia has been going through many economic, social and political events since last year. The biggest problem for the people has been the rising cost of living.
Retailers and traders say that inflation and the high cost of living have weakened consumer purchasing power and that people who go to various malls for shopping have already halved their purchases.
Being a holiday season in the form of Easter and Ramadan the market is expected to increase because of perceived increase in demand against shortage in commodity.