Addis Abeba City Administration identfied 20 marketplace areas to organize bazzars for suppliers of agricultural commodities and agro-industry items as a part of an effort to curb the growing inflationary pressure in the capital.
Expected to be held every week, the bazzar is hoped to enable residents buy consumable items for an affordable price. It will be piloted coming Sunday at Piassa, Megenagna, Mexico Square, Qality Menharia and Jomo 67, according to the city's Trade Bureau.
"We hope it will cut down the long supply-chain existed across agricultural commodities and processed consumable industry products," said Adem Nuri, Head of the Bureau.
Wheat, Teff, cereals, edible oil, macaroni and pasta are among items that will be open for sale during the bazzars. Cooperatives and unions based in special zone of Addis and Oromia as well as agro-processing industries are among exhibitors that will be a part of the bazzars.
"It will be instrumental to reduce the inflationary pressure that is hurting the poor," added Adem.
Inflation has been balloning for the last three years. While supply side problems contributed for the surge in cost of living, the deperciation of Birr has been also a prime factor driving the inflation, which hit 34.8 percent last month, the highest in a decade.
Food inflaton, in particular, reached 43 percent during the same period and contributed two-third of the surge in general inflation. To contain this, the city administration took several administrative measures, including the six-month ban put on landlords to make adjustment on housing rent and the restriction imposed on traders from making irrational price adjustment.
None of the administrative actions bore fruit yet.
