By Kidega Livingstone
Central Equatoria State Ministry of Animals Resources and Fisheries, in collaboration with the Juba City Council, is tackling the issue of high meat prices in the city.
Officials from both institutions conducted inspection visits to butcheries in various markets, including Suk-Libia, Gudele, Custom, Jebel Suk, and Konyo-Konyo.
They found the price of a kilogram of meat had risen to 8, 500 SSP, compared to the previous price of 6,000 SSP.
Government Intervention
Central Equatoria State Minister of Animals Resources and Fisheries, Alex Latio Elia, outlined their approach to persuade the butchers reduced prices for customers.
“We don’t want the price of meat to go up,” Latio told journalists. “We want to reduce the price. What we are going to do is talk to the butchers’ associations in all the markets and see where the problem is so that we can be able to reduce the prices in a short period.”
The Minister also mentioned plans to reduce taxes on cows imported for meat.
“We are going to make sure that taxes on cattle coming from outside or within are reduced so that the buyers can be able to reduce the prices in the market… because butchers are say a cow costs over one million South Sudanese Pounds which is very expensive” he added.
Minister Latio also addressed concerns about unauthorized individuals imposing fines on butchers.
“In case of any problem, my office is open… We head that there are some people coming here collecting money on behalf of our government. We have only one government that is the state and national Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries. Nobody should come fine anybody here without our notice” he clarified.
For her part Juba City Council Mayor, Flora Gabriel Modi, emphasized the need for collaboration to stabilize the market prices.
“In case of any problem with the butchers, we have the people who are responsible for you people and they will report to us in the office of the Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries. I am not working alone, but we are working together with people concerned so that we can be able to develop this city” she said.
Meanwhile the State Butchers’ Association representatives also shared their perspective on the issue of high meat prices the authorities are trying to address.
“The business is moving well, but there is some loophole because of the cattle prices that have gone high,” said Chairperson Butchers Association at Jebel Suk Market, Alfonse Cidiya.
“The problem we have also is that we don’t have trucks to take the rubbish from where we are working” he added
Chairperson of butchers in Suk Libya Market, Charles Ruben, expressed concern about declining customers:
“Meat can last for three days without being bought all or getting finished because they don’t have enough customers as usual due to high prices.” He voiced the impact of prices on the business.
“We are renting and we are paying 32,000 SSP every day to the people owning the place and some time we can make loses because even buying the cows has become very expensive, That why meat is very expensive” he reiterated.