Producers union against increase in rice prices

The Lcc has accused parliamentarians who intend to adopt Article 2 of the Finance Bill 2016, which will increase the price of a bag of rice.

For consumer advocates, the possible adoption by parliament (National Assembly and Senate), would prove contrary to the wholesome policy of the Head of State in the fight against the "cost of living" in terms of rampant poverty.

Article 2 of 2016 Finance Bill stated the payment of taxes and customs duties of rice at the rate of the common external tariff, set at 5%, "while it should be 0 F as is the case for seven years," wrote Delor Magellan Kamseu, Lcc the leader.

Activists who were against the increase announced the bag of rice prices on consumers, "kilogram of rice product consumed by a Cameroonian is up to 2 or 3, costs from 350 FCFA. If this tax is established, its price would be around 550 FCFA per kilo. A quick calculation to measure the magnitude of the disaster in these low-income consumers," argued the Lcc.

The Lcc justifies its stance by the fact that the report of the National Statistics Institute (Ins), the country has recorded 8 million poor.

According to an investigation report on the Cameroonian households (ECAM 4) of 2014, the number of poor has increased from 7.1 to 8.1 million in 2014.

"Do not touch the price of my bag of rice" is the new slogan that the Lcc launched in a petition circulating online.

The government justifies this increase to "boost consumption of local production still in deficit," we learn.