After a week of closure due to social unrest, the Ressano Garcia border crossing between Mozambique and South Africa reopened on Sunday with a clear priority: to guarantee the supply of food products and essential medicines to the Mozambican market, according to the newspaper Noticias.
This measure comes at a time when the country is facing a growing shortage of essential goods and a sharp rise in prices, particularly affecting the southern regions, where dependence on imported products is significant.
The temporary closure of the border post was due to acts of vandalism that affected Customs and Migration infrastructure, forcing the flow of goods to be paralysed. During this period, hundreds of lorries were stranded at the border, making it impossible for perishable goods to enter and harming importers, who suffered significant losses as products deteriorated.
In Mozambican cities, the effects were immediately felt. In Maputo, many shops have reduced their activity or closed temporarily, causing a shortage of essential food products. The Zimpeto wholesale market, a benchmark in the supply of fresh produce, was one of the worst affected, with prices rising dramatically due to the lack of supply.
A box of tomatoes, which previously cost between 200 and 350 meticals, has seen its price rise to between 750 and 1000 meticals, while the price of potatoes has risen to 600 meticals. In Gaza province, local markets have seen a decrease in the supply of horse mackerel and chicken, which are basic necessities for a large part of the population.
The government, aware of the urgency of stabilising the market, mobilised a multi-sectoral team to Ressano Garcia, with the aim of speeding up the process of crossing and restocking in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Amilton Alissone, stressed the Executive’s priority to ensure that the country is properly supplied for the festive season, seeking to minimise the impact of the recent stoppage and combat price speculation that is exacerbating consumers’ difficulties.
This multi-sectoral effort is also aimed at the complete normalisation of border services, in order to restore the confidence of traders and consumers. With the reopening of the border, it is hoped that the flow of goods will gradually return to normal levels, guaranteeing the supply of food and essential medicines, which have been in short supply in the main cities since the blockade.
For many traders and consumers, the reopening of Ressano Garcia represents a relief and the hope that, in the coming weeks, the supply of essential goods and prices will return to normal, promoting stability in the market and in the affected communities.
