Mozambique: Zimpeto wholesale market starts to run out of stock – O País

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Mozambique: Zimpeto wholesale market starts to run out of stock – O País

1:16 CAT | 15 Jul 2021

Potatoes and onions, mostly imported from South Africa, were becoming scarce in the Zimpeto wholesale market by Wednesday (July 14), O País reports.

The few trucks left In the market were almost empty and stalls had little produce compared to what is usually seen there.

The reason is that merchants are reluctant to travel to South Africa because of the violence there.

“We depend on South Africa to supply the market, but there is a lot of damage and sabotage there and, if they see a Mozambican trader arriving, they will attack right away. We prefer not to risk it,” merchant Amadeu Magaia said.

Amadeu usually makes two trips a week. The last time he was in South Africa was on Thursday of last week, before the wave of violence intensified, and he says that stock is now limited.

“We don’t know when we will travel again. It’s not just me; we are all going through this. But life is more important than money,” he stressed.

The merchants reckon there is stock for about two more days, after which the market will be “on the fly”. The flow of customers has already increased in response to fears of shortages.

Justino Tovela foresees the situation driving prices up. “If this product runs out before we restock, those who get some merchandise might hike the price – from 210 to 230, for example. And even after we manage to return to South Africa, prices there will increase for sure, and the process of sourcing goods will be very long,” he explained.

The president of the Mukhero Association says that, last week, as soon as the riots began, they were warned by their suppliers not to travel there, but some had taken the risk regardless.

“From the traders who were there when the riots started (and who have returned safely) we now know that, on Tuesday (July 13), four truck drivers left for South Africa. Two are in Johannesburg and another two are in Pretoria,” Sudecar Novela reported.

South Africa is the main supplier of onions and potatoes to the Zimpeto wholesale market. The produce comes from Pretoria and Johannesburg.

By Julieta Zucula