Compared to the 1st quarter 2019, the general level of prices increased in the 1st quarter 2020 by 2.6% in Cameroon, according to a recent analysis note from the National Institute of Statistics (INS). This increase was 2.3% a year ago. The price increase is therefore 0.3% higher today than at the beginning of last year.

According to the NSI, this increase is largely due to higher prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages (3.1%), restaurants and hotels (5.4%), as well as clothing and footwear (2.8%). The increase in food prices was mainly the result of higher prices for fruits (8.9%), vegetables (7.9%), sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery (4.1%), meats (4.8%), breads and cereals (1.5%) and fish and seafood (0.4%).%)

Moreover, the phenomenon of "panic buying" following the first series of restrictive measures taken on 17 March 2020 as part of the response against Covid-19, caused the price of certain food and basic necessities to soar as early as the end of March.

"However, the intense campaigns carried out by the Mincommerce [Ministry of trade] in the markets to unmask speculators who store the products in order to create a shortage have allowed to limit the soaring prices," says the INS. The same is true of the increase in "the frequency of periodic markets throughout the territory to assist housewives in obtaining supplies at a lower cost". These markets are also organized by Mincommerce, through the mission of regulation and supply of consumer products (Mirap).

In perspective, advocates the Institute, it would be desirable for the Cameroonian government to continue its policy of combating expensive life in particular by maintaining its support for basic social services, minimizing the potential impacts of Covid - 19 on the supply of products of basic necessities by taking additional commercial measures that do not disrupt the supply chain.