Global General

Cameroon lifts price of beer

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-06 15:39

YAOUNDE: The beer loving Cameroonians have noticed a price increase of 50 FCFA (about 10 US cents) since the beginning of the year for the drinks manufactured and sold in the central African country.

Beer brands such as Mutzig, Beaufort, Tuborg, Amstel, Pelfort, Isenbeck, Heineken, 33 Export and Castel have a price hike of 50 FCFA, while the price of fizzy drinks drops by 50 FCFA thanks to the reduction of set-up charges from 25 percent to 12 percent being implemented by the government.

The price of mineral water also came down by 50 FCFA. The price of a one and half litre bottle drops from 400 FCFA to 350 FCFA (80 cents to 70 cents) and that of the half litre from 250 FCFA to 200 FCFA (50 cents to 40 cents).

The northern part of the country including Adamaoua was not immediately affected by the price changes because of high transportation costs.

"These price changes of drinks was arrived at after consultation between the ministry of Commerce and the Consumer interest groups," according to Guillaume Sarra, the deputy commercial director general of the Cameroon Brewery.

A study conducted recently on the rate of beer consumption in Cameroon put the country among top drinkers in Africa, with close to 2 million litres of beer consumed per year.