Ethiopian New Year food price review
Buying and selling of goats and sheep is an
Ethiopian holiday tradition, here at one of the
largest markets in Addis Ababa. BBC
09 September, 2008 Capital
This year's New Year shopping cost has stayed the same as compared to last month for customary food, such as eggs and poultry, sheep, goats and oxen prices, according to Capital's market assessment.
Capital has learnt that during the past week the price of chickens has remained within the range of 40-50 birr. The price of eggs has slightly gone up to 1.20 birr per egg, slightly up from a couple of months back market price of 1 birr.
Meanwhile, the price of sheep ranges from 300 birr to 600 birr, while goat prices vary between 500 birr and 600 birr. Some estimates have even placed the price of healthy sheep and goats at 1,000 birr. Meanwhile, one kilo of butter is being sold for 65 to 75 birr, slightly down from last Easter's price of 80 birr.
As one of the most celebrated religious holidays, Ethiopians celebrate Enqutatash
by feasting on sheep, goats, chickens and eggs.
Some anticipate that Doro Wot, the popular holiday meal of Ethiopia, which
is prepared from chicken and eggs, will be part of this New Year's feast in
many families.
Traders Capital talked to attribute the price hanging about from a couple of months ago due to the high inflation that occured at the time.
In Ethiopia, holidays take a significant place in the society. Everyone may have a small variation in the way they celebrate them, but most rituals and traditions are basically the same. Among the many holidays celebrated, many of which a great deal of importance is attached to are religious. New Year, the finding of the True Cross, Christmas, Epiphany and Easter are the major ones.
For the celebrations of these holidays, it is a tradition to have some sort of meat prepared with lots of butter. Chicken, sheep, Ox are all slain in large quantities come holiday season. In the days leading up to the holidays, the overall demand for meat and chicken rises very high, which creates a hike in the market price of these animals.
To spend the holidays without at least killing a chicken, no matter how unaffordable the market price may seem, and preparing what has become the signature meal of the country, the Doro Wot is inconceivable to many households, market observer's comment on the irrational consumer behavior of the Ethiopian society.
As of late, many people are heard complaining about the cost of living and the ever increasing price of food items. From the price of a kilo of meat or onions to the price of a kilo of peas, nothing is affordable by many consumers' accounts. The price of a chicken or a sheep is especially lamented during holidays.