Consumers in Abu Dhabi said that the prices of major vegetable varieties decreased immediately before Ramadan, at outlets and cooperative societies, while some other vegetables and fruits settled at their previous highs.
They explained, to «Emirates Today», that the dips were concentrated in the main vegetables, on which there is a large demand from consumers, on top of which are cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, lemons, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, broccoli and local eggplant, while prices of some fruits stabilized at their previous highs such as oranges, kiwi, plums and grapes.
For their part, officials attributed the outlets selling, the decline to the abundance of vegetables on the shelves and warehouses and the continuation of the import operations regularly, noting the keenness of the outlets to provide the necessary vegetables and fruits at reasonable prices.
Vegetables prices
, in detail, the consumer, Youssef Ismail, said that he was surprised by the decrease in the prices of some vegetables just before Ramadan, after their rise during the last period, indicating that he did not expect the decline, especially since some prices usually rise before Ramadan.
Ismail explained that the prices of the option decreased from 4.5 dirhams per kilo in outlets to 3 dirhams, and 1.95 dirhams per kilo in other outlets, according to origin. The prices of tomatoes also decreased from 7 dirhams to 4.25 and 2.95 dirhams in other outlets, while it decreased The price of green pepper is approximately one dirham, to approximately 7.55 dirhams, instead of 8.5 dirhams.
The consumer, Amani Nasr, said that the prices of vegetables recorded tangible declines just before Ramadan, after witnessing great increases during the last period, calling for monitoring the markets to continue the decline.
She explained that the price of carrots, for example, decreased from 6.95 dirhams, which is the prevailing price for a while, in the outlets to 4.25 dirhams, and 4.95 dirhams, despite the fact that the origin is one, which is Australia.
She pointed out that banana prices settled at 6.75 dirhams, while some fruits are still at their previous altitudes without change, such as grapes of various types, which starts at 9 dirhams and reach more than 22 dirhams, depending on the type and origin, as well as the kiwi, which reached its price in outlets It was sold to AED 18 and remains at the same level.
The consumer, Samir Al-Sarraf, pointed to an unexpected decrease in the prices of vegetables before Ramadan, as the prices of potatoes in outlets decreased to 2.95 dirhams, compared to 4 dirhams, and 4.25 dirhams previously in the same outlets, despite their presence in other outlets at a price of 4,50 dirhams. Lemon prices to almost 9.95 dirhams, despite reaching more than 14 dirhams previously, broccoli prices have almost halved to reach 7.75 dirhams.
He pointed out that the prices of red onions continued at their normal rates, to reach 2.95 dirhams, compared to 9 dirhams at outlets previously.
The cashier explained that some fruits are still at their previous highs, especially oranges, whose price is still high to 8.5 and 8.95 dirhams, although its price was between 5.5 and 7 dirhams at most, according to the origin before the Corona crisis, as well as the plum that jumped Its price in outlets is more than 18 dirhams, compared to a price between 11 and 14 dirhams at most, 10 days ago.
Global fears
For his part, Nanda Kumar, head of communications and marketing at the Lulu Hyper Markets Group, said that “the first period of the emerging Corona virus crisis witnessed global concerns, which resulted in confusion in which restrictions on the movement of air and freight worldwide contributed, but over time, The movement of freight has been resumed naturally, and sales outlets, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, have made arrangements to ensure that goods flow smoothly and without delay.
He explained that there is an abundance of vegetables and fruits with a strategic stockpile at many of the outlets in the country, noting that the Lulu Group, for example, is using charter planes to ship food daily from abroad. He noted that there is a commitment to social responsibility among a number of merchants, especially during Ramadan, taking into account the current conditions.
Abundance of goods
The official said in one of the sales outlets, Hassan Abdul-Razzaq, that “the decrease is due to the abundance of goods on the shelves and warehouses and the continued import operations regularly, after the confusion of the first period, especially with the increase in shipping, as well as resorting to alternative and new markets.” He added that the increase in some seasonal fruit is a natural causes due to higher prices in the countries of origin, and pointing to the keenness of the ports on the provision of essential vegetables and fruits at affordable prices and some types of fruit are not essential and can be dispensed with or reduce the quantities purchased from them.
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impairment Price was
considered an expert retail affairs, Ibrahim sea, that the decline in many prices kinds of vegetables and fruits due to the presence of local vegetable farms strongly during the recent period, creating a competition between local and imported product favor of the consumer and forced many outlets to cut many prices of vegetables.
He called the sea, The necessity to diversify import destinations and open new markets continuously to overcome the problem of high prices or high shipping costs for some destinations, indicating the importance of continuing to intensify control over markets during Ramadan to prevent any unjustified exploitation or raising of prices.
The Ministry of Economy had recently confirmed that there is a large surplus of vegetables, fruits and Ramadan goods, and that the import operations continue regularly, in addition to the availability of a strategic stockpile of food sufficient for several months.