In recent months, white rice importers have been concerned about rising customs clearance fees.
Fees for the metric ton have gone from 100 to 400 USD, seriously affecting prices. The bag
rice has already seen a rise in the markets to the chagrin of citizens, reduced to seeing the damage. This is
what Mamadou Baïlo Sow, rice importer at the large market of
Madina, who denounces this increase.
If before, you had to pay USD 100 to clear a metric ton of white rice; now the
same ton is cleared at 400 dollars, we learn. A situation that caused a rise in the price of the bag
of rice on the market, a food highly prized by the population.
In an interview with our reporter, Mamadou Baïlo Sow, rice importer at Madina's main market,
returned to this reality. “You know, since we received the order from the Budget Minister concerning
the increase in all imports in containers dated December 1 to now there, the price of
bag of rice is only increasing in the market. The Minister had said that importing in containers is not
prohibited; but, whoever now wants to import, he will be taxed at the same price as parboiled rice.
The metric ton of white rice was taxed at 100 US dollars. Now, any importation of rice into the
containers is taxed at $400. Since December 01, we clear one metric ton at 400 dollars.
It's the 20 bags that give 400 dollars. So we sent the bags of rice, we did our calculations, we saw
that rice cannot be sold for 215,000 or 225,000 Guinean francs. We have now deemed it necessary
to sell at 240,000 or 245,000 GNF to get out of it, since trade is about profit. »
Continuing his intervention, Mamadou Baïlo Sow did not hide his dissatisfaction with this situation which he
qualify as unfair. He points an accusing finger at the government, which he accuses of allowing a single
importing company to tax the ton at 100 dollars, unlike small companies which are taxed at 400
dollars. “Since we started importing rice in 2010, there is no store that suffers from
lack. Guineans no longer queue for a bag of rice. They want to monopolize the market. Here is what
that we denounce, we who send the small containers, we are taxed at 400 dollars.
However, those who send the 12 to 25 thousand tons in the ships, are taxed at 100 dollars per ton
metric. They are the ones who benefit because they resell the white rice at the same price as us. What's in
fair. They should resell at 225,000 GNF because they have a monopoly on the market. If the government
granted them this favor, they should satisfy the people. They are deceiving the government. Me
I think we are for the people, and they are for the government. If it continues like this, the
small importers like us, we will have to back down. What will affect the population. It has already
started, because the price of white rice has increased," the trader suggested.
Mamadou Baïlo Sow calls on the government to review this situation. “Me, I would have liked the
government is reviewing its copy. You know, trade is power too. We are apolitical.
We are there for everyone. We are looking for money and we also give money to the
government through the taxes we pay. So we want the government to reverse its
decision. »
For our interlocutor, if the government does not back down, small rice importers will take their
provisions. "On behalf of all small importers of rice in containers, we are ready to meet
even the President of the Republic. We are ready to meet as a group to contribute so that we too can send ships of 12 to 20 thousand tons. If the State does not reconsider its decision, we will do everything
what is legal to prevent that. It's a single company that wants to monopolize the market. »