Farmers are being criticized for hoarding the commodity
Addis Ababa is facing a severe shortage of teff due to a drop in supply to the central market. The price continued to grow, and most outlets ran out of stock.
The shortage spawned a parallel market where the commodity is being offered for up to 10,000 birr per quintal, a 43 percent increase from the previous month.
The staple crop is already in short supply at the largest open market for crops in Merkato, Ehil Berenda, and other key trading centers.
The imposition of a price ceiling in Oromia Region and the steep decline in teff supply from Amhara Region are important contributors to the central market shortage.
Abaynesh Getaneh, a resident of Addis Ababa, stated, “I went to mills and several places to purchase the item, but there is none available”
Farmers in Oromia, the region of Ethiopia that produces the most teff and is a significant supplier to Addis Abeba, are reluctant to sell the crop to cooperatives for the price set by Oromia Region.
According to sources, the unofficial ban imposed on individuals traveling from Amhara region to Addis Ababa is responsible for the decrease in the amount of teff supplied by farmers in the region.
“Farmers and traders in the area are refusing to supply the crop, claiming that there is no justification for selling their produce to a city into which they are not permitted to enter,” said officials sources in the region.
The federal government remained silent on the issue, and The Reporter’s efforts to reach the city’s Trade Bureau were futile.
Teff market is not the only one in disarray.
Also, there is a shortage of wheat on the market, which is causing bakeries to reduce their output and in some cases close their doors. Wheat is being sold for between 6,000 and 7,000 birr per quintal.
