(Ecofin Agency) - People in Côte d’Ivoire, like in other West African countries, have been facing a sharp rise in food prices in recent weeks. To keep this situation under control, the Ivoirian government announced yesterday it has set a cap on the prices of seven basic foodstuffs for the next three months.

The decision concerns sugar, tomato paste, rice, refined palm oil, pasta, beef, and milk. The new prices will be made public in the next issue of the official journal. Other measures taken by the government to curb price increases on the local market and fight against the high cost of living include the obligation for exporters to obtain prior authorization before shipping certain items. These are bananas, local rice, yams, cassava, corn, and their byproducts. Authorities said this will help "prioritize the demand on the domestic market and ensure a regular supply to stabilize prices."

Authorities have also updated the list of agricultural products whose prices are regulated. This catalog, which had remained unchanged since 1997, now includes bakery flour, baguette bread, fish, beef, mutton and pork, refined cooking oil, and local rice.