Algerians hit by spiralling costs during Ramadan

Algerian consumer good prices have gone up 8.7% Algiers – Hussein Bou Saleh The Algerian Office of National Statistics (ONS) has confirmed in a report that the price of consumer goods in June rose 8.7 percent compared to last year, making inflation skyrocket to 7.3 percent as opposed to 6.9 percent last May.
The ONS in a statement published by Algerian news agency APS said that the increases affected most food ingredients in addition to red and white meat. Red meat prices shot up 29.8 percent while fresh fruit became costlier by 28.8 percent in addition to fresh vegetables by 8.4 percent.
The prices of some industrial products have also risen, such as non-alcoholic beverages which reported a 9.67 percent increase, while oil and fat prices went up 4.8 percent.
Food prices have skyrocketed with the beginning of Ramadan, a familiar phenomenon every year according to citizens with whom Arabstoday chatted.  Crowds were unfazed by the prices at a popular market in central Algiers\'s Bab El Oued neighbourhood.
Some Algerians preferred to buy frozen meat rather than fresh meat because it is more affordable to the middle class. An Algerian whom Arabstoday spoke to said, while purchasing frozen meat: “Although it differs from fresh meat, which is characterised by its distinct taste, our low incomes push us to buy it.\"
Ten thousand tonnes of frozen red meat have been imported recently by different dealers, while the Ministry of Agriculture also allowed the importation of mutton. Moreover, a stock of frozen white meat has been established, consisting of about 10,000 tonnes within the control system of agricultural products.
Some traders attributed the soaring prices to the increasing demand for products. They expect prices to decrease as Ramadan continues.