Garlic, lemon, ginger prices surge as Ethiopians stock-pile to boost immune systems
Record ID:
1465194
Garlic, lemon, ginger prices surge as Ethiopians stock-pile to boost immune systems
- Title: Garlic, lemon, ginger prices surge as Ethiopians stock-pile to boost immune systems
- Date: 21st March 2020
- Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (MARCH 18, 2020) (REUTERS) HERBS BEING ADDED TO KETTLE VARIOUS OF MAN PREPARING DAWA DAWA DRINK MAN ADDING HONEY TO DAWA MAN PUTTING DAWA ON KITCHEN TABLE WAITER SERVING DAWA TEA HAND STIRRING DAWA VARIOUS OF MEN DRINKING DAWA TEA (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) 39-YEAR OLD DRIVER, BAYU WORKU, SAYING: "For sure this will help me. This is naturally rich in vitamin C and full of natural herbs like lemon, ginger, garlic and honey and seasoning flavours in addition to these natural herbs. I often use it to recover from the flue and by the same token, it will certainly help me fight corona as well." MEN DRINKING DAWA ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (MARCH 17, 2020) (REUTERS) ABDURAZAK IBRAHIM BUYING GARLIC SELLER PUTTING GARLIC IN PLASTIC BAG (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) CUSTOMER, ABDURAZAK IBRAHIM, SAYING: "You know why they have hiked the price? It is after the outbreak of Corona here. For example, garlic is 160 Birr per kilo. It is right here you can check. It used to be just 60 Birr. Lemon was 50 Birr. Today I bought a kilo for 150 Birr." PEOPLE AT MARKET GINGER SELLER, ABEBE TENE SELLING GINGER GINGER ROOTS (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) GINGER SELLER, ABEBE TENE, SAYING: "You won't see a lemon seller as such now because they're being hunted and arrested accused of hiking prices. But you shouldn't blame them because the wholesalers have increased the prices. We're not bothered only about today. We also want to sustain our business in the future. We are trying to help the public because these are wanted for medicinal purposes. Look at me for example. I am protecting myself by inserting garlic in one side of my nose and ginger in the other. We didn't increase the price too much. It is just a bit." CUSTOMERS AND SELLERS AT VEGETABLE MARKET SELLER MOVING LEMONS FROM ONE SACK TO ANOTHER BUYERS CROWDING AROUND LEMON SELLER LEMON SELLER SCOOPING UP LEMONS WITH TWO HANDS AND PUTTING THEM IN PLASTIC BAG (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) CONSUMER, AWOL MOHAMMED, SAYING: "A kilo of lemon costs 150 Birr. But I don't mind spending even more because it is for my health. Your health is more than anything. I came here to buy lemon and garlic because the talk of the price is over-exaggerated in my area. But it is not that much. It is an OK price. I would not hesitate to buy it even if it is more expensive than this because taking care of your health is the most essential thing." VARIOUS OF VEGETABLE MARKET
- Embargoed: 4th April 2020 16:22
- Keywords: Addis Ababa market Africa Ethiopia anti-viral therapy dawa garlic ginger traditional medicine
- Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
- City: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
- Country: Ethiopia
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C5ZVNLZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING
The demand for lemon, ginger and garlic at the Atikilt Tera market in Addis Ababa has risen significantly since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic. The three ingredients are a component of the traditional drink Dawa - meaning 'medicine' in Swahili - and are believed to help boost the immune system and even cure colds.
"I often use it to recover from the flu and by the same token, it will certainly help me fight corona as well," a customer in Addis Ababa café Bayu Worku told Reuters, while sipping his cup of bright-yellow Dawa tea along with a friend.
Shoppers at Atikilt Tera vegetable market could be seen filling their bags with lemons, ginger and garlic, valued for their potential antimicrobial properties, despite a price hike since the outbreak of COVID-19.
"I don't mind spending even more because it is for my health," Awol Mohammed told Reuters as he made his purchase of garlic and lemons.
Others are not as comfortable with the new prices and blame sellers for the hike, amid fears of the Coronavirus.
Sellers however, say they are serving the public by providing produce needed for medical purposes.
Africa was slower to feel the impact of the Coronavirus than Asia or Europe, but 33 African nations have now reported more than 600 cases, with 17 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
A growing number of African countries are announcing increasingly restrictive measures to try to halt the spread of the virus, which has infected more than 200,000 people globally and killed nearly 9,000.
(Production: Kumerra Gemechu, Maria Vasilyeva, Dina Selim) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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