The average household in Conakry is facing a very difficult period. Several agricultural products from the interior of the country, including red palm oil, chili peppers, and other raw vegetables, have seen a dramatic price increase recently.

At the Matoto market, a 20-liter container of red palm oil, a flagship product of the N'Zérékoré region, is currently selling for between 300,000 and 320,000 GNF. As for a 50-kilogram bag of chili peppers, it now costs 1,200,000 GNF, compared to 200,000 to 300,000 GNF just a few months ago.

According to the shopkeepers, this price surge can be explained by several factors:

1. Poor palm fruit harvest in N'Zérékoré, the main production area;
2. Increased transport costs, with an empty jerrycan now costing 3,500 GNF from Conakry to N'Zérékoré, and 12,000 GNF when filled;
3. Some products may be scarce due to the season.

When we met her in her shop, Diallo Mariama Sow explained:

“Yes, the price of red palm oil has gone up. Last year, a 20-liter can sold for between 250,000 and 260,000 GNF. This year, the price has risen to 320,000 GNF, because we have to add our profit and transportation costs. Sometimes, we earn almost nothing.”

Marie Mara, another shopkeeper, confirms the trend and points out that several other goods have followed the same price increase:

"Chili peppers have skyrocketed to 1,200,000 GNF per 50 kg bag. Tomatoes, which sold for 5,000 GNF a few months ago, now reach 50,000 GNF. The average household's shopping basket is very expensive, and we, the traders, are suffering enormously."

This situation reflects the growing difficulty for households in Conakry to obtain essential products, while costs are rising in a context of scarcity and increased transport prices.