Rangoon residents are being hit by severe increases in commodity prices over the past two months. The price rises are blamed on spiraling oil prices.

For instance, a Rangoon housewife complains, a sack of low-quality rice has increased from 1,500 kyat (US $1.50) to 5,000 kyat, and the price of good quality rice has doubled from 10,000 kyat per sack to 20,000 kyat. Beef has risen from 1,000 kyat for one viss (1.6 kg) to 3,000 kyat over the same period.

Meanwhile, a gallon of petrol has soared from 160 kyat to 1,500 kyat in the same period.
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