Anglophone regions: Traders of perishable products lament lockdown consequences
Petit traders dealing with fruits and perishable food stuffs in the NW/SW regions are still struggling to recover from the huge losses incurred during the two lockdowns recently. The lockdowns delt them a serious blow.
“I sell watermelons. After the three days lockdown, most of the watermelons I had in stock got bad since I could not sell them. Imagine the losses. Same applies to other traders selling fruits and other perishables”.A trader at the Bamenda Food Market said.
With the approach of an announced lockdown, traders are often obliged to sell their goods at give away prices.
“When there is a call for lockdown, we have no choice than to sell cheap. What we normally sell at the cost of 1,000 frs is sold for 500 frs. If you are selling Yams for 2,000 frs, you will sell for 1000 frs or 800frs . If not they will get bad and you end up throwing them away”. Disclosed another trader in Bamenda.
Another economic hardship provoked by lockdowns is usually impossibility to have certain farm produce which are highly demanded, but unavailable in the markets.
“Even after a lockdown we can’t get plantains for instance because roads are still blocked. It really disturbs us”. A trader at Muea market said.
Traders pray, the wind of goodwill blows across the capital city Yaounde and instigate authorities take genuine steps to end the armed conflict in the NW/SW regions. This will revive their ailing business activities and resuscitate the collapsed economy of both regions.
