Lockdown forces market prices up

People in the informal sector have been hit hard by the state of emergency lock down.

This has forced prices in markets to sky rocket since last week leaving residents with no choice but to bear with it.

Since the nationwide lock down by the Government, road blocks have been staged at the four entry points into Port Moresby forcing some fresh food resellers to bring in produce the hard way.

Women resellers at the Boroko market say they had to pay for private trucks and taxi’s to bring produce from the Bautama entry point into the city.

Susan Kale from Chimbu province said this is why their prices for have risen up.

Racheal John from Goilala, Central Province, said the mothers survive on market for survival and the road blocks have severely affected them. 

The Gulf and Central provinces have been supplying the city with fresh produce.

According to Central Governir, Robert Agarobe, about 70 percent of the population in Port Moresby live on the informal sector for survival.

Resellers buy produce from the Central and Gulf province putting a mark- up and that is how they get their interest.

Governor Agarobe recently said he is in dialogue with NCD for an exclusive market for either the Boroko or Koki market for central province to sell their produce during this lock down.

“For markets we know that our people survive on food from money that they make and we want to keep the venue open because we understand that once Central goes into total lock down the city is going to have a hard time," said Agarobe.

Author: 
Jemimah Sukbat