Guinea-Bissau to inspect water factories to curb prices
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on ANG
Guinea-Bissau’s interministerial commission will launch a new inspection campaign at packaged water factories to assess their production capacity and combat rising prices. Producers blame retailers and resellers for the increase, according to a note from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Guinea-Bissau’s Interministerial Commission will inspect factories producing water packaged in plastic sachets next week to check their production capacity, the Press Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources announced. The operation comes as authorities seek to contain rising water prices on the national market.
During a nearly three-hour meeting held on Thursday with producers, the companies unanimously said they had not increased their prices and blamed retailers and resellers for the rise. The commission plans to summon the president of the Retailers' Association to determine whether the increase resulted from a collective decision or the initiative of some of its members.
The producers present said each unit produces an average of between 4,000 and 5,000 cases of water per day. If inspections confirm these capacities, the government plans to work with the companies to strengthen supply across the country, according to the Press Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The commission also discussed with producers the transition from plastic sachets to cups and bottles. It said its work should help prevent a water shortage.
