Par: Penda Joof
Traders at Serekunda market say high taxes imposed on goods and high rental costs are major factors contributing to the rising prices of essential commodities in the country.
Sailou Sowe, a food trader at Gambia’s largest open-air market, said in an interview with The Voice that the most complex problem they face is the lack of price controls. According to him, this led to some companies going bankrupt as their owners were unable to afford the wholesale prices of the products.
“Sales are not as good as before. Every week, product prices increase because suppliers sell to merchants at different prices. Last week, a bag of onions cost 800 D, but it sold for 900 D this week. The price of a bag of potatoes is not stable, some sell it at 950 D while others set it at 1,000 D. This situation affects our activities,” he explained on Tuesday. journalist.
Sailou called on authorities to reduce taxes and tariffs imposed on basic goods, adding that the cost of shop rents and the “costly D20 daily tax imposed by the KMC” also contribute to the increase in prices of goods.
Muhammed Jallow, another trader at Serekunda market, said increasing rents of several private properties used by shop owners is also a major problem.
Mohammed said rents are increasing astronomically. According to him, he was paying D54,000 per year for the saboutique three years ago, but the landlord has now announced his intention to increase the rent.
“The owner informed us that the rent will increase to 150,000 D per year from next January. This announcement led to the closure of 16 stores in this building, with only three of us remaining. Traders from other countries once bought goods in Gambia to transport them to their countries. Unfortunately, they all stopped because there are no more price controls since the departure of the former president [Jammeh] “, he said.
Furthermore, Mohammed indicated that a month ago, a bag of sugar was sold at 2,650 D, but that it now costs 2,850 D, while a bag of American rice, which retailed at 2,200 D, is now at 2,250 D.
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