 and Burundi Cement Company (BUCECO) announced the inflation of their commodity prices that took effect this Monday.){kind=link}
Burundi Breweries (BRARUDI) and Burundi Cement Company (BUCECO) announced the inflation of their commodity prices that took effect this Monday.
According to the two companies, it is said that the price increase is due to the inflation of the raw materials and energy.
“The cement price of a 50 kg bag increased from 24,500 BIF to 28,500 BIF (BuCECO-32.5R), for BUCECO-42.5R from 30,000 BIF to 34,000 BIF effect from October 10, 2022,” a statement reads from BUCECO.
Burundi Breweries increased the price of some of its beverages, soft drinks rose to 1000 BIF from 800 BIF. The price of ‘Nyongera’ beer (72 cl) which is highly consumed in rural areas rose to 1200. A bottle of Amstel 65cl increased from 1900BIF to 2500 BIF and Amstel (50 cl) to 2100 from 1500 BIF. Primus (72 cl) rose to 1700 BIF from 1500 BIF, Primus (50 cl) is 1200 BIF from 1000.
The Observatory for the Fight against Corruption and Economic Malpractice (OLUCOME) raised concern of the inflation of the products days after the government took measures on stabilizing the country’s economy.
“This general increase in the prices of essential products for Burundians is very worrying. The government of Burundi is called to act quickly because the tendency shows that all domestic products will follow suit,” a statement from OLUCOME reads.
Burundi’s Prime Minister, Gervais Ndirakobuca called on local administrators to ensure compliance in the prices of the products set by the authorized bodies, indicating that no bar is authorized to raise prices on the pretext that it is a VIP or a more modernized bar.
“Authorizations to increase prices to bars that believe themselves to be VIPs are suspended. They must align themselves with the prices set by the government of Burundi. This exemption is only for hotels,” said Mr. Ndirakobuca during a meeting held in Gitega on Monday October 17.
While OLUCOME slammed the move, it indicated that more than 70 percent of Burundians live below the poverty line, the same institution confirmed that Burundi is the poorest country in the world with a GDP per capita of less than $270.