Impact of Solomon Islands riots on food availability

The Australian and the Solomon Star both report that the riots have sparked price rises for food and tobacco in Honiara.

The price of rice, a staple diet for Solomon Islanders, has jumped by up to 20 per cent at some retailers, despite Solrice (the local rice suppliers) saying that the gains are unnecessary because the unrest has not affected production or supply.

The locally manufactured Solomon Blue Taiyo has risen from between $4.50-5 per tin to $6-7 per tin, while the cost of cigarettes has risen by about 30 per cent at some outlets.

Last week's riots affected around 80 per cent of Chinatown, along with other Chinese shops, restaurants and the large Pacific Casino Hotel. The Chinese own the vast majority of shops in Honiara, and as a result the damage suffered by these businesses will have impacts on both employment as well as the price and availability of goods. The small size and limited diversity of Solomon Islands' economic base means that it vulnerable to, and has little ability to absorb, the negative impacts on of any one part of the economy.

As an interesting aside, I understand that tobacco wasn't widely used until after RAMSIs arrival. Now cigarettes are a status symbol, and it's not uncommon to see young Solomon Islander men walking down the street with a cigarette tucked behind their ear, or hanging out of the corner of their mouth, unlit.