By DOROTHY TEMBO –

PRICES of food, non-consumable goods and other services have gone up barely a week after the fuel pump price increment.
The development has raised concerns among consumers who say that apart from struggling with the power deficit, the staple food price is also pinching.
A survey conducted by the Sunday Times   revealed the mealie meal brand which was costing K54 before the pump price rise is now selling at K60 for a 25kg bag, while a two-litre bottle of cooking oil, which was fetching K20 a month ago has been increased to K25.
Some traders in Lusaka have equally complained that the spillover effect of the fuel price rise has slowed down their businesses as their clients are seemingly spending cautiously when buying. Consumers in Lusaka have complained over the increase in commodity prices. This follows the increment in the mealie meal, cooking oil, as well as washing powder prices.
Charity Mwanza, a trader, said there was nothing she and other traders could do but would rather increase the commodity prices in the past week.
“We are paying more on the transportation of our goods, it is just right that we increase our selling prices as well so that we do not encounter losses in our business,” she said.
Ms Mwanza said that people were now running to supermarkets like Shoprite, Pick n Pay as well as Spar to buy goods because they thought prices were much more reasonable there.
Vincent Kazema, another trader, said the increase in the prices of goods was due to the continuous depreciation of the Kwacha against the dollar.
“The dollar is affecting our business because we import our goods from other countries,” Mr Kazema said.
He said the order prices had increased, causing him to increase the prices for his goods to save his business.
Traders have, therefore, asked the Government to come up with solutions to the increase in fuel prices so that commodity prices could normalise, thereby triggering a boom in business.