The markets witnessed a big buying spree on the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan. A local Arabic daily saw crowding and double the demand to buy dates, meat, chicken and Ramadan supplies at cooperative societies and commercial markets.
Despite government assurances that prices would be controlled, consumers complained about the significant increase in the prices of leafy vegetables, which rose by more than 76 percent compared to what they were just before the month of Ramadan.
At Al-Farda market, a box of local tomatoes was sold for between 3.2 dinars and 3.5 dinars, after its price last week ranged between 1.5 and 2 dinars, as well as the case for some other vegetable products such as eggplant and imported peppers.
Meanwhile the supermarkets, meat, dates and wholesale markets in the Shuwaikh area, in addition to a number of cooperative societies, said there was big demand for red meat, dates and canned goods on the first day Ramadan.
It was clear that there was a decrease in the price of meat in the face of stiff competition and plenty supply of products, as the value of Arab meat decreased significantly, whether slaughtered locally or coming refrigerated from abroad.
The prices of Arab meat start at 30 dinars per “Sudanese” carcass and rises to 50 dinars for the Jordanian, Lebanese and Chefali for weights between 12 and 15 kilograms, and the larger sheep are priced at 70 dinars, while the local sheep maintained its price, which ranges between 85 and 100 dinars.
The number of consumers in the fish market decreased yesterday, while the offered types of local fish maintained their prices, with Zubeidi fetching the highest price at 11 dinars per kilo.
The price of grouper fish ranged between 4 and 6 dinars per kilo, while the price of Al-Nuwaibi settled at two dinars per kilo.
The dates market in the Shuwaikh region witnessed an active movement of consumers, in light of a significant increase in prices compared to the supply last year.
Some types of dates recorded an increase in prices of 25% compared to the previous period until last Ramadan, and the price of a kilo for some types jumped to 7 dinars.
The value of a kilo of local dates was 2 dinars, jumbo medjool 7 dinars and Medina pressed-dates 5 dinars and 4 dinars each for Safawi and Mabroum. The lowest price was Khodari dates, which ranged between 1,500 fils and 1,750 fils.
Meanwhile, the authorities have intensified market inspection campaigns to punish those responsible for the artificial rise in prices. Other measures taken include unifying the prices in cooperative societies, provision of more Ramadan goods and giving priority to the local produce in the market.
Today, the municipality and other concerned parties reopened some markets in the Mubarakiya area, which were closed due to the massive fire that broke out last Thursday.The markets for meat, dates and fish received their visitors again, while the concerned authorities continued to remove the effects of the fire and to account for the damages.
Many owners and employees of the burnt shops expressed their grief for the losses they suffered due to the massive fire that broke out in the Mubarakiya area.
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