2021 begins with increased prices of cigarettes, flour, and oil

2021 begins with increased prices of cigarettes, flour, and oil

06:48, 15/01/2021
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The new year 2021 started with the increase in prices of cigarettes, flour and oil in the retail outlets in the country.

The prices of cigarette packs increased by ALL 10 as a result of the increase of excise from January 1 by ALL 5. The average price per package went to ALL 260 or 4 percent more than in 2020.

Retail traders reported that the price of vegetable oil for cooking has increased by ALL 20 per liter or 12.5%. One kilogram currently costs ALL 180 out of ALL 160 that was before. The price of flour increased by 6% or ALL 300 per quintal. Now 100 kilograms of flour cost ALL 5,300 from ALL 5,000 that was during 2020.

Market sources claim that oil and flour prices have risen as a result of rising commodity prices in international markets. Importers claimed that the pandemic brought multiple problems in the manufacturing sectors across Europe. Russia, one of the world’s largest producers of wheat, restricted exports to create domestic reserves for fear of a pandemic. The move boosted wheat prices in international markets. Russia and Serbia are the main suppliers of wheat in our country.

Oil and wheat wholesalers faced higher prices since the 2020 supply, but they transferred part of the price increase for the new financial year 2021. As for cigarettes, the price increase stems from the measures taken by the government since 2017, approving a calendar for the increase of excise year after year until 2021. According to this calendar, the excise tax in 2021 reached ALL 6500 for 1000 cigarettes from ALL 6250 that was last year. Increasing the excise tax on cigarettes is one of the policies used to curb and reduce cigarette consumption by the population as a product with negative effects on health by increasing their selling price.

However, in the case of Albania, the increase in excise is accompanied by an increase in smuggling, as has happened since this policy of increasing taxes began to be applied. The Ministry of Finance has clarified that in order to further align with EU Directive 2011/64, which sets the minimum level of excise duty on cigarettes at least 90 Euros per 1000 cigarettes, the rescheduling of the increase ensures a sustainable taxation policy according to EU standards. While other items in the food basket are being sold at the same prices as in 2021. The highest supply of products in the country has kept prices stable for this season, while demand has declined.

Retail traders claim that consumption has fallen for all categories of food commodities. According to them, the main reasons are related to the departure of people abroad and the shrinking income as a result of unemployment created by the pandemic.

© SYRI.net

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Komentet

Vendi yne 15/01/2021 10:59

Cfare beni mor Cfare beni.Po na rripni per se gjalli.As ne kohen e komunizmit nuk kemi qene kaq keq.Nje grusht shushunjash po i pine gjakun gjithe popullit.Po ku je o popull pse vritesh per nje fjale goje apo pse po me shikon e nuk ngrihesh per ushqimet e tua per te drejten tende.Po pse o popull e le veten kaq mbas dore dhe kaq mbrapa?

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