Storage infrastructures

Realization of storage infrastructure: what interest?

 

Congolese’ major cities are supplied with perishable and non-perishable food products up to 80% by import, via the port of Pointe-Noire.
These imports are the monopoly of private companies or groups (Casino, Park'n'shop, Guénin, etc.) which, as a result, practice high prices for sale, generate false shortages of certain products which result in the increase of prices among the wholesalers, retailers and all local markets.

These practices penalize the already low food budget of the Congolese, who can no longer buy certain commodities because of inflation.

Moreover, the existing structures, both in cold rooms and storage warehouses, are often insufficient in space and volume, which leads to real stock shortages.

The cold chain between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville, then the rest of the country is very random because of the lack of containers in good working order, the prolonged storage due to lack of CFCO cars or the difficulty of transport by road.

The cold chain between the outlet of the cold rooms, wholesalers and retailers is non-existent (loading in taxis, sprouts, buses etc.).

The resulting health consequences for the population are serious because they can lead to food poisoning, which can be fatal.

The country’s health authorities are often little watchful and little trained on the controls to be carried out both in the documents in good standing concerning the containers of transport, and in the monitoring of the cold chain.

It is not uncommon to see freshly arrived goods, spend night or even several days on the tarmac of the airport or river port.

Since road, port and energy networks are currently in full swing and are expanding throughout the country, it is therefore important to think of carrying out these major projects of national interest, in order to safeguard the health of the population.

Hence, the Ministry of Trade, Supplies and Consumption calls on businessmen and economic partners to take advantage of this opportunity for the execution of this infrastructure.

 

The construction of storage infrastructure: an absolute necessity

 

Among the structuring projects that the Ministry of Trade, Supply and Consumption intends to implement is in very good place “the construction of infrastructure for the storage and conservation of basic necessities in the country’s major cities”.

It will initially concerned the cities of Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and Ouesso, before continuing in other urban centres such as: Owando, Oyo, Nkayi and Dolisie.

The costs of construction of these warehouses will be determined by feasibility and environmental studies that must take into account:

• The location of land likely to accommodate future warehouses and warehouse equipment;
• Design plans for warehouses, offices, cold container or cold room and ancillary shelter structures and miscellaneous equipment.

The creation of infrastructure for the storage of essential products will, among other things, allow to:

• Store perishable and non-perishable products in sufficient quantity and quality, with a minimum buffer stock of 3 months;
• Create a modern cold chain that meets international standards;
• Create a modern road, river and rail supply network;
• Effective health monitoring ;
• Providing consumer with new products at appropriate prices;
• Stopping false shortages and limiting private company speculation;
•  The constraint of private companies to comply with international standards;
• Job creation ;
• Training of the various authorities responsible for controlling and managing imported products, in the field of cold and dry products;
• The reduction of the cost of living throughout the Congolese territory;
• The encouragement of the Congolese to resume market gardening and livestock farming in order to promote the export of these commodities;
• The reduction of the cost of living throughout the Congolese territory;
• Cross-regional trade in crop products;