SHARJAH // Food prices in the emirate have jumped in the run-up to Eid al Fitr, shoppers have reported, despite efforts by authorities to keep the prices stable. Hammour fish that sold for Dh30 per kilogram at Sharjah fish market rose to Dh50, while Indian goat meat climbed from Dh22/kg to Dh27 in local butcher shops. "I went to the fish market yesterday and found that a fish I used to buy at Dh20 was now at Dh50," said Hajji Mustafa Ssebakyanye, 38, a Kenyan resident in Sharjah. "It's not even enough for the whole family. I need to buy about four fish and that is Dh200 (US$54). Who can afford that for only fish?"
Meanwhile, in supermarkets in Sharjah and Ajman, the price of a large bottle of cooking oil climbed by a dirham in the last week, as did a 5kg sack of Indian rice. Hashim al Nuaimi, director of the consumer protection department at the Ministry of Economy, said during a visit to the Carrefour in Ajman on Wednesday that the ministry was developing a plan to monitor all grocery stores and shopping centres in the country, and that large retailers had been told not to increase food prices during Eid.
Ministry staff plan to form small committees with municipal departments to monitor the prices in specific shops and trading areas. Despite concern that shops are raising prices to tap a surge in demand during Eid, there are other factors, too. Fishermen said their higher prices were due more to poor catches during the summer as a result of the red tide phenomenon than to a desire to make quick money during Eid. Abdullah Ahmed, 46, an Emirati fisherman, said the daily catch this month and last was about 50kg, compared with 200-400kg during a typical month.
Some food items have fallen in price. Abu Qusi powdered milk dropped by Dh5 to Dh50.50, while Nido powdered milk fell more than Dh5 to Dh55. A package of Tango juice fell by Dh1.50 to Dh29, while Lipton tea fell by Dh2 to Dh20. ykakande@thenational.ae
