Availability of Basic Commodities: Trade Minister Reassures Public

In order to make sure that some basic foodstuff like rice, flour, fish and spaghetti will be available and without price hikes during the end of year festivities, the Minister of Trade Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, paid a working visit-to-suppliers of the goods in Douala, to evaluate the availability of stocks. The Minister’s visit took him to Olam Grains, Mayor, AGRIEEX, SOACAM, CONGELCAM, OLAM CAM and the Africa Food Distribution company. At each lap of the visit, the Minister who was accompanied by the Governor of the Littoral Region, was taken on a guided tour, presented the structure and most importantly reassured about the availability of stocks during the end of-year festivities at normal prices by opening their warehouse to reveal stock piles of rice, fish, oil, flour and spaghetti.

At Olam Grains specialized in the production of flour, the Minister was presented the production process as well as the different safety and hygiene measures to ensure good quality. According to the General Manager of the company, Veeresh Malikarjun Hiremath, the company produces 400 tons of flour each day which makes up 22 per cent of the national consumption rated at 500,000 tons a year. Veeresh said the company has a reserve stock of 30,000 tons which can sustain supply for two months in case of any rupture in production.

The same assurance was given by the commercial director of SCR Maya Company, Alain Ekobo, who said there was enough supply of Mayor cooking oil throughout the festive period and that there is going to be no hike in prices. The General Manager of AGRIEEX, Niraj Kumar a company which deals in the importation of rice, said there was enough stock available and that they were expecting other shipments in the month of November. Olam Cam the leading company in the importation of rice equally expressed optimism about the availability of stocks and that there is going to be no rupture in supply.

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