Local Government Minister, Protais Musoni is that concerned traders could be exploiting consumers by hiking food prices. He wondered how Irish potatoes that the traders buy at Frw60 per Kg from farmers are sold at Frw150 per Kg in Kigali. Responding to concerns raised during a recent press conference about the increasing food prices in the country, the Minister urged the consumers to protect themselves against unscrupulous businessmen. Consumers should question the sellers (of services and goods) instead of relying on government to make all the decisions, he said. Musoni said it is hard to regulate prices in a liberalised economy reasoning that if government attempted to, the move would be condemned by the international community. If you set prices for foodstuffs like Egypt does for wheat, you invite the attention of IMF and World Bank to question your commitment to a free market economy, the risks can be as bad as reducing aid, said Musoni. Traders attribute the current price increase to high transport costs and poor crop harvest in some parts of the country. The minister said government abolished taxes on agricultural products as an incentive to control agricultural produce costs. He also advised consumers to channel their grievances through the private sector instead of relying on government to set out all the policies in the country.Ends
