Concerns in Samoa increase over food prices

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Samoa Observer is reporting that like in American Samoa, residents of the independent state are concerned regarding the surge in prices for certain essential food items, particularly during the festive season and when there was a shortage in the supply of certain goods.

Certain individuals expressed their concerns about a recent rise in the price of chicken legs, specifically from a store in Vaitele. The increase is attributed to an island-wide shortage. The newly inflated price reached $10 per kilogram when according to the price control order it should not be selling for more than $8 per kg. Verification by this newspaper confirmed the information obtained from the store, which had disclosed on Wednesday that they had depleted their chicken stock.

Meanwhile, in Savai'i, families encountered difficulties in sourcing chicken meat across the island during the weekend preceding New Year's Day.

As a result, families who had plans to have a barbecue on New Year's Day had to opt for alternatives like turkey tails, lamb chops, and sausages due to the persistent shortage of chicken on the island.

Other goods that were not available in Savai'i during New Year included cigarettes, eggs, cooking oil and others.

Concerning dry goods, the wholesale markup in Upolu stands at 12.5 per cent, with a corresponding retail markup of 20 per cent. In the case of freezer goods, the markup for wholesale transactions is 15 per cent, while retailers in Upolu face a markup of 22.5 per cent for freezer goods.

On the big island of Savai'i, the wholesale markup for dry goods is 18.5 per cent, accompanied by a retail markup of 22.5 per cent. For freezer goods in Savai'i, the wholesale markup is 21 per cent, and retailers can have a markup of 25 per cent.

The price control order shows that a box of chicken legs (15 kg) has now increased to SAT$99.30 for wholesale in Upolu and $104.50 for wholesale in Savai'i.

The retail price for chicken legs is now SAT$8 per kg for shops in Upolu and SAT$8.60 per kg for stores in Savai'i.

The prices of other goods such as sugar, flour and rice remain the same according to the wholesalers in the country compared to the prices on the order.

The prices of milk products have also increased with one Devondale milk now being sold for $5.40 in Upolu and $5.80 in Savai'i. For Anchor regular, it is being sold for $4.80 in Upolu and $5.10 in Savai'i.