Price of gasoline at a Total station in Phnom Penh (Photo: Ouk Savborey, RFA)Thursday, April 24, 2008
By Ouk Savborey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The price of foods and gasoline in Cambodia remained stable in some provinces, but it has increase in some other cities and provinces.
Ms. Chak Ieng, a pork meat seller in O’Russei market, indicated that the price of one kilo of pork meat increased to more than 20,000 riels (~$5) before the Cambodian New Year. Following the New Year celebration, the price of one kilo of pork dropped to 19,000 riels ($4.75) because the government allowed the import of live pigs, following a short import ban.
Ms. Chak Ieng indicated that the price of chicken is about the same as the price of pork, but the price of beef increased to more then 30,000 riels (~$7.50) per kilo: “It’s because Samdach Hun Sen made a lot of noise, that’s why the price is stable, otherwise, it would be just like beef also, it keeps on increasing nonstop.”
Merchants along various markets in Phnom Penh indicated that dry goods, like rice, soy beans, peanuts, mung beans, corn, lotus seeds, etc… saw their price increased to more than it was before the New Year, the exception being the dry season rice where the price of a kilo lowered from 2,500 riels to 2,200 riels ($0.63 to $0.55).
Song Kheng indicated that the price of cereal increased because of the low supply within various provinces, and the price of peanuts increased from 6,000 riels ($1.50) to 6,500 riels ($1.63).
Sinuon, a seller at the Poipet market, indicated that the price of beef and pork lowered by 10 Baths per kilo (about 1,200 riels ~$0.30): “A few days back, one kilo was 18,000 riels ($4.50), so the price was reduced by 10 Baths.”
Lok Lin, an owner of a rice mill in Thmor Puok district, indicated that the price of rice is stable: “For one bé, i.e. 50 kilos of rice, it cost 1,200 Baths (~153,500 riels or ~$38.31) … I don’t know how much it is in Khmer riels, here my prices are in Baths only.”
In Kampong Cham and Kratie provinces, local villagers claimed that the price of rice, fish, meat, vegetables did not rise after the Cambodian New Year.
Along the southwest provinces, after the New Year, the price of rice decreased, but the price of fish, meat, vegetables increased somewhat. In Phnom Penh, the price of gasoline, diesel at major gas stations, such as Caltex, Total, PTT and Sokimex, is now increased by 200 riels ($0.05) per liter.
A taxi driver from Svay Rieng province indicated that the price of gasoline in Bavet is 4,000 riels ($1.00) per liter, but it is only 3,800 riels ($0.95) only in the provincial center.
On Wednesday 02 April, Prime minister Hun Sen indicated that there are 4 problems that cause inflation: (1) the price increase of oil on the international market, (2) the lower exchange rate of the US dollars, (3) the necessity to increasing food production, and (4) the use of cereal for bio-fuel production.
Hun Sen said that his government resolved the inflation problem by increasing the salary of factory workers and civil servants, by subsidizing the price of electricity, and by the sale of rice at low cost in various markets in Phnom Penh city.
It should be noted that, after the New Year celebration, government workers in charge of low cost state rice sale, indicated that the government stopped selling this rice on the market.
Ms. Chak Ieng, a pork meat seller in O’Russei market, indicated that the price of one kilo of pork meat increased to more than 20,000 riels (~$5) before the Cambodian New Year. Following the New Year celebration, the price of one kilo of pork dropped to 19,000 riels ($4.75) because the government allowed the import of live pigs, following a short import ban.
Ms. Chak Ieng indicated that the price of chicken is about the same as the price of pork, but the price of beef increased to more then 30,000 riels (~$7.50) per kilo: “It’s because Samdach Hun Sen made a lot of noise, that’s why the price is stable, otherwise, it would be just like beef also, it keeps on increasing nonstop.”
Merchants along various markets in Phnom Penh indicated that dry goods, like rice, soy beans, peanuts, mung beans, corn, lotus seeds, etc… saw their price increased to more than it was before the New Year, the exception being the dry season rice where the price of a kilo lowered from 2,500 riels to 2,200 riels ($0.63 to $0.55).
Song Kheng indicated that the price of cereal increased because of the low supply within various provinces, and the price of peanuts increased from 6,000 riels ($1.50) to 6,500 riels ($1.63).
Sinuon, a seller at the Poipet market, indicated that the price of beef and pork lowered by 10 Baths per kilo (about 1,200 riels ~$0.30): “A few days back, one kilo was 18,000 riels ($4.50), so the price was reduced by 10 Baths.”
Lok Lin, an owner of a rice mill in Thmor Puok district, indicated that the price of rice is stable: “For one bé, i.e. 50 kilos of rice, it cost 1,200 Baths (~153,500 riels or ~$38.31) … I don’t know how much it is in Khmer riels, here my prices are in Baths only.”
In Kampong Cham and Kratie provinces, local villagers claimed that the price of rice, fish, meat, vegetables did not rise after the Cambodian New Year.
Along the southwest provinces, after the New Year, the price of rice decreased, but the price of fish, meat, vegetables increased somewhat. In Phnom Penh, the price of gasoline, diesel at major gas stations, such as Caltex, Total, PTT and Sokimex, is now increased by 200 riels ($0.05) per liter.
A taxi driver from Svay Rieng province indicated that the price of gasoline in Bavet is 4,000 riels ($1.00) per liter, but it is only 3,800 riels ($0.95) only in the provincial center.
On Wednesday 02 April, Prime minister Hun Sen indicated that there are 4 problems that cause inflation: (1) the price increase of oil on the international market, (2) the lower exchange rate of the US dollars, (3) the necessity to increasing food production, and (4) the use of cereal for bio-fuel production.
Hun Sen said that his government resolved the inflation problem by increasing the salary of factory workers and civil servants, by subsidizing the price of electricity, and by the sale of rice at low cost in various markets in Phnom Penh city.
It should be noted that, after the New Year celebration, government workers in charge of low cost state rice sale, indicated that the government stopped selling this rice on the market.
1 comment:
Wow, that was faster than I thought. These type of thing usually take long time to have an effect. We must be blessed or something!
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