Potato prices above cap in some shops, Himayatec says

DNAlgerie reported that potatoes are sold for up to 150 dinars per kilogram in some shops in Algeria, according to the Algerian consumer defence organisation Himayatec.

The official capped price is 90 dinars per kilogram. Some buyers pay up to 60 dinars more than this official price for one kilogram.

For families who buy the vegetable regularly, the difference quickly becomes large.

Himayatec said it had received several reports from different regions of the country, describing sales of up to 150 dinars per kilogram. It accuses some traders of avoiding the price cap through practices that sell the product above the regulated price.

Himayatec has not said that production is falling. It has not provided data showing that national harvests are too small or that stocks have fallen.

The organisation puts the problem mainly down to trade practices and what it calls insufficient checks on prices. It does not link the price rise to any specific production or storage problem.

For consumers, the aim is to find potatoes at the announced price, without visiting several shops or paying more because there is no other choice.

Himayatec wants inspection services of the Ministry of Commerce to do more unannounced checks in markets and retail shops. It also asks for sanctions against traders found to be responsible for overcharging.

The organisation invites citizens to report cases they see, giving the wilaya and the address of the shop. It says these details will help pass complaints to the competent authorities and make checks on the ground easier.