Minister of Trade and Industry Mark Katsonga Phiri has said that the country is experiencing the rise in the cost of commodities due to Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war.

Katsonga made the remarks during a media briefing in Lilongwe on the reasons for the continued rising cost of various commodities in the country.

According to the Katsonga, his ministry is putting in place measures for the country to be producing locally some commodities such as cooking oil.

He added that their meeting with players in the cooking oil industry did not come up with an actual price though they promised to reduce the commodity prices.