ALGIERS- The commercial activity declined in the second quarter of 2016, particularly in the sectors of agri-food, fuel and machinery and equipment, the National Statistical Office (ONS) said.
According to a survey conducted by ONS within 533 trade companies, the majority of the surveyed traders complain about the scarcity of products, the delays in the procurement process and slow formalities for the purchase of goods.
Nearly 68% of wholesalers and over 93% of the retailers that have been questioned said that they have experienced shortages of products, in particular for the trade in machinery and equipment.
Moreover, almost 32% of wholesalers and 73% of retailers covered by the survey were supplied by the private sector only, chiefly in the segments of agri-food, textiles, clothing and leather, machinery and equipment.
For the trades of drugstore, hardware store, home appliances and perfumery, more than 45% of wholesalers and more than 23% of retailers were supplied by the public and private sectors.
Regarding the purchase prices of products, they have been deemed higher by over 57% of the wholesalers and nearly 92% of the retailers notably the traders of fuel and lubricants, raw materials and semi-finished products, textiles and machinery and equipment, while prices for drugstore, hardware store, home appliances and perfumery products were considered lower.
Source: Decline in commercial activity in Q2 of 2016
