A pork vendor sells meat to customers in a Vientiane market.

Commerce ministry raises food prices in Vientiane markets

In addition to the rising price of fuel, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has made changes to food prices, including all types of meat, rice, fish and eggs, and cooking gas, in the four inner districts of Vientiane.
This follows the ministry’s revision of fuel prices on October 19, notifying that premium grade petrol will incur an extra charge of 400 kip per litre, while regular grade will cost another 170 kip per litre, and diesel will cost 200 kip more.
This bumps up the price to 25,610 kip per litre of premium grade petrol, up from 25,210 kip per litre, 20,870 kip per litre for regular, up from 20,700 kip per litre, and 20,660 kip per litre up from 20,460 kip per litre for diesel.
The new prices came into effect on October 20, while the prices of consumer goods including meat, fish, eggs and cooking gas have also been revised upwards in Vientiane’s four inner districts of Xaysettha, Sisattanak, Sikhottabong and Chanthabouly.
This means that sticky rice will now be on sale for 13,000 kip per kg in Sisattanak, Xaysettha and Chanthabouly districts, and 14,000 kip in Sikhottabong district.
For white rice, markets in Sisattanak and Sikhottabong districts are selling the grain at 14,000 kip per kg, Xaysettha district at 14,166 kip per kg, and Chanthabouly district at 13,000 kip per kg.
In addition, Sisattanak and Chanthabouly districts are selling Grade A beef for 95,000 kip per kg, Xaysettha at 90,000 kip per kg, and Sikhottabong at 100,000 kip per kg.
Markets in Sisattanak and Xaysettha are selling pork at 60,000 kip per kg, while Sikhottabong and Chanthabouly vendors are now charging 65,000 kip per kg.
Prepared chicken is on sale in Sisattanak and Sikhottabong districts at 60,000 kip per kg, while Xaysettha district is selling chicken for 65,000 kip per kg and Chanthabouly district for 50,000 kip per kg.
Farmed tilapia fish is on sale in Sisattanak and Chanthabouly districts for 33,000 kip per kg and in Xaysettha and Sikhottabong districts for 32,000 kip per kg.
At the same time, eggs on sale in Sisattanak district now cost 2,500 kip each, and 2,000 kip per egg in the other districts.
The price of cooking gas ranges from 270,000 to 310,000 kip per tank in these four districts.
These price changes were posted on the Facebook page of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on Friday to inform members of the public and businesses about the increases.
Economists say the price of rice will continue to increase throughout this year as the cost of fuel and fertiliser has skyrocketed since the beginning of the wet season, which resulted in some rice growers abandoning the crop.
Meanwhile, the price of animal feed also continues to rise. Locally-produced chicken feed recently sold for 100,000 kip per sack but the current price has risen to 200,000 to 300,000 kip, while the price of some imported feed is much higher.
“I’m not raising chickens for commercial purpose, but just to provide enough food for my family in an emergency. However, I may think about giving up chicken farming altogether because of rising animal feed prices,” said a retired civil servant in Sisattanak district.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 24, 2022)