Retailers “steal” people’s pockets in Algeria

Wholesalers accused retail sellers of draining the pockets of people and raising fruit and vegetables price which has remarkably soared.

Price difference between wholesale and retail sale reached 80 percent while retail sellers hold wholesalers responsible for this raise.

Celery was sold at 10 DZ per kilogram in wholesale markets while its price reached 120 DZ in retail sales.

“The reason behind vegetables price rise is retailers’ greed. Prices in wholesale markets did not soar. Potatoes are still 35 DZ while they are sold at 70 DZ by retailers,” Chief of Wholesale Fruit and Vegetables Federation Farid Toumi told Echorouk.

“Traders say to customers that the prices are high in wholesale markets. But this is not true. The number of retailers and private markets in Algeria is low. Because of that, vegetables are monopolized by retailers,” he added.

 According to Chief of Traders and Craftsmen’s Union Taher Boulenouar, the difference is more than 100 percent. The lack of local markets is behind the price rise.

“The government would better work on opening proximity markets to solve the problem of street vendors instead of chasing them,” he told Echorouk.