By Fatoumatta K. Jallow
As part of Foroyaa’s regular update on prices of basic food commodities for the information of consumers, this reporter visited
the Brikama and LatrikundaMampatokoto/Sabiji markets on the 18th of November, to find out more about the situation from vendors and customers alike.
The reporter has observed that the prices of all the basic food commodities in both Brikama and Latrikunda markets are the same except for cooking oil.
In Brikama, the 20 litre, 10 litre and 5 litre gallons of cooking oil cost D950, D575 and D275, respectively. The cup of oil costs D11 in Brikama and D10 in LatrikundaMampatokoto/Sabiji.
In both markets, the cost of a bag of American rice is D1200, while a cup of it is D6. A bag of the ‘Saddam’ variety of rice is D1400 per bag and D8 for the cup.
As for a bag of onion, it costs D450 while the kilo costs D35. A bag of Irish potato is D600 per bag and D40 per kilo. Flour costs D1500 per bag and D40 per kilo.
A bag of moist/crystal sugar is D1400 and the cup is D8. A kilo of meat and bone is D200 and steak is D250.
As for fish (Bonga), 4 pieces costs D15. A medium size tin of tomato paste is D150 while the tea spoon sizes are D5 and D10.
Speaking to one Fatoumatta Manneh, a vendor at the Brikama market, said that she only makes D15 profit from the medium size tomato tin and that she sells about two tins a day. “I only get D30 profit every day from the tomato paste that I sell,” she disclosed.
Isatou Saidy, a fish vendor in the Latrikunda market, said the fish she buys and resell is all the way from Tanji and she makes a lot of expenses. “I have to buy fish from Tanji, pay for transportation and buy ice blocks to preserve them. I pay a lot of money just to bring the fish,” she added.
Talking to one Binta Camara, a customer in Brikama, she explained that food commodities are very expensive and beyond the reach of families like hers. She said her earnings as a house maid and that of her husband as security guard are not sufficient to support their food consumption needs in the whole month.
“I normally take D75 to the market to buy rice, fish (Bonga), oil and the other condiments but this is insufficient to get me all the things I need to prepare a good lunch for my family,” she revealed.
