DILI, november 24, 2022 (TATOLI) – The Association for the Consumer Rights Protection (TANE) requested the government’s Minister of Tourism, Trade, and Industry (MTCI) and the Secretary of State for Cooperatives (SCOOP) to ensure the price of a food basket worth $0.50 under the law Nú 10/2022.
TANE President, António Ramos, said that the Government should distribute food items with a total price of $0.50 to each family in the second distribution period.
“The government could also allocate US$50 to residents so they can buy staff according to their needs”, Ramos said at a press conference in Vila Verde.
According to Ramos, the distribution of the vouchers allows the beneficiaries to select the product according to their needs
“While the second phase of the $50 basic basket program limits the beneficiaries’ freedom of choice.”
Tane identified that the prices for staple local products in the second phase of the basic food program were higher than the normal prices in stores, for example, rice was increased from five dollars to $13.50, ha kilogram of chicken, which costs 60 cents, increased to $1.50, including sweet potatoes from 1 dollar rose to 1.25 dollars per kilogram.
TANE’s observations also revealed that local produce was insufficient in stores to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
“There are mixing local products with imported food ingredients in the food basket, which has not fully met the nutritional needs to reduce malnutrition in Timor-Leste,” he concluded.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
