Goods prices Skyrocketed in Choiseul Province
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
SALT price in Lauru villages has gone $2 per serving spoon recently as goods prices soared in Choiseul Province due to a supply shortage.
Despite goods supply services is slowly starting to improve after cargo vessels are allowed to travel again under strict Coronavirus (Covid-19) measures, it will likely take some time before prices slowly go back to normal according to reports.
Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Katario Ward 13 in Northeast Choiseul Hon Ronald Zakele said that with this current challenge affecting them, their only hope is for the situation to be improved for the betterment of their livelihood.
Mr Zakele pointed out that an earlier decision made by Choiseul’s Provincial Disaster Operation Centre (PDOC) banning passenger and cargo ships to travel to the province because of the Covid-19 community outbreak is a reason they are facing such a challenge.
“The continuous delay in shipping services is a reason as to why goods prices’ have increased dramatically. There is a shortage of supply and such a continuous situation affects people from the villages,” said Hon Zakele.
“Just imagine a swimming soap for bathing costs $8 while coconut laundry soaps cost $4 each. A small packet of salt is also $8 on which $2 per spoon is also applied, A 500g packet of sugar costs $15 and a 1kg costs $30. All noodle products cost $6 each. For 1Kg rice, it’s $15 and a bag of rice costs $300.
“A single Solbako cigarette costs $15. For a packet of Solbako smoke- that costs $100, $15 per roll out of 40 rolled from a packet is equivalent to receiving $600 from a packet of Solbako. On fuel price, 1litre mix petrol is $20. Apart from these, many other items recently have skyrocketed with regards to its prices.
The same sentiments was also shared by residents at Taro who stated that a packet of Navy Biscuit at present costs $3 instead of the normal $2.50 price.
At Wagina, residents explained that the increase in prices over goods is also experienced from cargoes brought to them from Noro station in Western Province.
“A 20kg bag of rice costs $250 and $280 unlike before the Covid-19 community outbreak and lockdowns the price was $170.
It is understood that the current situation of high prices on goods is only one of the many challenges Choiseul Province faces today relating to the current situation of the Covid-19 community outbreak in the country.
Featured Photo Caption: Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) for Katario Ward 13 at Northeast Choiseul Hon Ronald Zakele. PHOTO BY MANEBONA BARNABAS
