Charcoal price up over supply
Dar es Salaam. Ongoing rains in different parts of the country have reduced charcoal supply resulting in hiked prices of the main source of fuel, affecting particularly Dar es Salaam residents.
A survey conducted by The Citizen this week has shown that both retail and wholesale prices of charcoal have shot up, hurting budgets of over 90 per cent of city residents.
The charcoal supply chain for the city is mainly fed by Rufiji, Kisarawe, Bagamoyo, Kibaha and Mkuranga districts in Coast Region as well as Lindi Region, all of which are also facing high rates of rainfall, which has affected making and transportation of the commodity.
The survey has shown that the wholesale prices of a medium-sized bag of charcoal from wild trees climbed up to Sh40,000 from previous Sh26,000 recorded mid-March.
Similar trend has also recorded on planted tree of which its wholesale price increased to Sh32,000 as at April 16 from previously Sh26,000 recorded in mid-March, which is nearly 30 per cent.
The commodity retail prices has also increased to between Sh1,500 and Sh2,000 per single unit this week from mid-March prices ranged between Sh800 and Sh1,000 for a small unit that can be used for cooking needs for a day for a three-people family. Mr Abdallah Hammad, a charcoal wholesaler at Ubungo-Kibangu, attributes the price rise to continue due to the rain season.
“When it rains, charcoal becomes wet and sometimes it is difficult to make. There are also transport challenges,” he said in an interview with The Citizen.
He also said increased charcoal levies in different parts of the city have pushed up the consumer prices. According to the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry 2016, 90 per cent of middle-income households use wood fuel while only one per cent uses gas.
