On the afternoon of April 15, 2020, Semien Shola, a marketplace near Semen Mazegaga known for selling chickens and eggs, was not as crowded as it typically is. During holidays, the place is normally jammed with consumers who visit the market to buy food.

The long-awaited holiday has arrived, but markets that are usually very crowded during this time are less active thanks to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Lamrot Fantahun, in her mid-30s, bought two chickens and some eggs at one of the stores. For the married woman who is raising three children, the holiday is about more than just laying back and relaxing with her family. It is also a time to spend a little extra to buy chicken, butter, onions and eggs, as is the tradition.

After a two-month-long fasting season, residents enjoy the holiday by consuming animal products that they have refrained from during the fast. For Easter, doro wot, a traditional chicken stew is a top choice for most people, including foreigners and ex-pats. Chicken, butter, eggs and onion are the necessary ingredients to cook the stew.

Located in Gulele District, Semien Sholla market was conceived of decades ago and has developed its own traditions since then. With the busy time of the Easter shopping season approaching, retailers in Shola are fully supplied, as are other marketplaces with identical names, located in Merkato and Megenagna, where households look for alternatives.

Even though there is no shortage of supply and the price of commodities has decreased, the limited number of consumers because of COVID-19 has frustrated retailers in Addis Abeba. This year, consumers like Lamrot are likely to find chickens at a lower price than the previous Christmas holiday.

“You may be suprised to hear about the price of chicken,” said Lamrot, who bought two of them for 300 Br each. "Last Christmas, I spent more than 800 Br for two hens, only a week before the holiday."

The five members of the family of Lamrot cook two chickens in addition to other meals every holiday.

“I expected the price of eggs to go much higher than the last holiday,” said Lamrot. “However, I see that the price is the same.”

She bought an egg for five Birr, equal to the price at the last Christmas holiday. An egg costs four Birr at all Cooperative Unions that are found in Addis Abeba. Harar, Gojjam, Bishoftu, Arbaminch and Jimma are the major cities from which chickens and eggs are sourced.

Even though there is no shortage of supply, and prices have decreased, demand has declined because of COVID-19, according to Abite Assefa, one of the chicken retailers at Shola Gebeya, which is found in Megenagna.

“The reduction of the price followed the spread of the virus in the capital,” he adds.

Merkato provides most of the holiday items at lower prices than both the Sholla markets and Atikilt Tera, a place where vegetable products are sold. Most retailers agree that prices differ, mostly because of transportation costs incurred by the traders who brought the goods from the wholesalers.

Abiti Assefa, 29, is a retailer who has spent 11 years selling chickens around Shola Gebeya.

“Today, I brought 100 chickens to sell, and I will get 150 for tomorrow after I’m done with the ones I have now,” said Abiti.

The price of a chicken from Elfora ranges between 170 and 400 Br, a 100 Br reduction compared to the last holiday. Elfora is known for poultry products like table eggs, day-old chickens, pullets and broiler meat for the local and export market. The company has the capacity to produce more than one million kilograms of broilers and 50 million eggs a year and has branches at Piassa, Sarbet and Saris.

Butter is another essential ingredient that most households, including Lamrot, buy during holidays. Butter, which is usually processed and spiced in households is an essential component of doro wot.

The price of butter showed no dramatic increase compared to the last holiday. Even though there are different types of butter, the price is between 320 and 380 Br for a kilogram, while it was previously 350 Br. Conversely, the price of nutmeg has dropped from 300 Br to 200 Br for one kilogram.

The increment observed during this holiday is much lower than the increments observed during previous holidays.

As the Coronavirus spreads, people are becoming more cautious. Many conferences and large public gatherings have been cancelled. While the virus is having widespread consequences across the globe, markets in the capital are seeing a mix of positive and negative effects of the outbreak.