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Misanet.com / Daily News, 24 April - Consumers in the Zimbabwean capital Harare yesterday said they were against the price increases for bread and cooking oil as they will make life unbearable for most Zimbabweans. But the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), which represents the consumers, said it welcomed the price increases. The Consumer Council welcomed the price increase as it was consulted by the government in advance. The government increased the retail price of a loaf of bread from Zimbabwe dollar (Z$) 48.50 to Z$ 60.44 from yesterday (from 1 euro to 1.22 euro). The wholesale price of a loaf of bread was increased from Z$ 44 (0.89 euro) to Z$ 54.95 (1.11 euro). The retail price of a bottle of cooking oil is now pegged at Z$ 198.54 (4 euro), up from Z$ 141.50 (2.86 euro). The price increases announced this week are the first round of increases since the government slapped controls on prices of basic commodities last October. Prior to the introduction of price controls, bread prices were being increased on a monthly basis while the price increases for cooking oil were effected on a regular basis. The governing party of President Robert Mugabe, Zanu-PF, promised voters during the campaign period for the presidential election in March that the government would not increase prices of basic commodities if he was re-elected. Portia Chakanetsa of the Harare district Waterfalls said: "They are now increasing the prices because the elections are over. They do not want to protect us any more because we have voted for them." Rozen Dube of the Glen View district said the government does not care for the people of Zimbabwe. "Before the election the government claimed it did not support price increases but now they have done exactly the opposite." Phanuel Galufu of Warren Park said: "I am surprised that the government endorsed the price increases when they said they were against price increases. People are going to starve because they cannot afford food, never mind that it is also not available." Lilly Nyawo from Harare Central said while salaries for most workers in the country remained stagnant for a long time, prices of basic commodities continued to increase. She said people in towns would further cut down on bread and cooking oil consumption because of the increases. Memory Freddi of Warren Park said: "No one can afford to buy bread on a daily basis. We are simply going to stop eating it." Filton Rosman from Ardbennie agreed with Freddi but emphasised the fact that the government should not claim it is controlling prices when prices continue to go up regularly. Victor Chisi, a senior manager at the Consumer Council, however said he was pleased that the council was involved in the discussions prior to the price increases. Chisi said: "We are impressed the price controls still remain in place. We are being consulted by stakeholders before the increases. As the Consumer Council is part of the Price Monitoring and Surveillance Unit, we agreed that the current price increases protected both the consumer and the producer."
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