The demand for fruits and vegetables has dipped sharply while the supply is abundant leading to the wastage of tons of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, according to the Wafra Company, which manages the fruits and vegetables market in Sulaibiya.
The director of human resources and administrative affairs of the company, AbdulWahab Al-Sha’aban told a daily the local market is currently ‘absorbing’ only a quarter of the supplies of vegetables and fruits that come to Kuwait daily and only cooperatives and big markets have access to these products while another 75 percent remain unsold and faces the risk of being spoiled despite the fact that many Kuwaitis and expatriates are looking to buy fruits and vegetables.
Al-Sha’ban said, this waste will affect the producers and importers at a time when consumers are unable to get enough supply of these products. He called on everyone to find quick solutions to allow the marketing of these products through delivery services.
Al-Shaban mentioned the sharp decline has affected both imported and local produce. He added only 25 percent of the imported products find its way to the local market while 70 percent of the local produce goes waste.
He pointed out the company does not have the right to dispose of unsold products, or try to benefit from them, but it addressed the relevant authorities to discuss effective solutions in order not to waste these products and search for an alternative to sell them first in the local market for the benefit of the citizen and the expatriate, in light of the current crisis especially since the cancellation of the barcode system and the catering sector suddenly ceasing to function during the month of Ramadan, thus deepening the crisis.
He called for the necessity of allowing the marketing of vegetables and fruits in groceries and specialized stores through delivery services using the same mechanism in accordance with the precautionary measures.
Al-Shaban said 7 key factors were the reason for the sales decline including the non-issuance of non-exposure permits for some sales centers and owners of stalls; not allowing parallel supermarkets in the commercial areas to operate; appearance of corona cases in some cooperative societies forcing their closure; precautionary policies forced upon some cooperatives and markets; daily decline in purchase of these products by cooperatives and markets; discontinuation of the ‘barcode’ system for individual shopping and stopping restaurants and groceries from buying vegetables and fruits.