Consumers in Abu Dhabi said that the prices of items of the main vegetables declined immediately before the month of Ramadan, at outlets and cooperative societies, while the prices of some other vegetables and fruits settled at their previous highs.

They explained to «Emirates Today» that the declines were concentrated in the main vegetables, on which there is a large demand from consumers, chiefly cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, lemons, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, broccoli and local eggplant, while the prices of some fruits stabilized at their previous highs, such as oranges, kiwis and plums And grapes.

For their part, officials attributed the drop-selling operators to the abundance of vegetables on the shelves and warehouses, and the continued import operations regularly, noting that the outlets are keen to provide the necessary vegetables and fruits at reasonable prices.

Prices of vegetables

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 option prices decreased from 4.5 dirhams per kilogram in outlets to three dirhams, and 1.95 dirhams per kilogram in other outlets, according to origin, as well as the price of tomatoes decreased from seven dirhams to 4.25, and 2.95 dirhams in other outlets, while it decreased The price of green pepper is approximately one dirham, to 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, the prevailing price for a while, in the outlets to 4.25 dirhams and 4.95 dirhams, although the origin is one and is Australia, and the price of zucchini and its origin in Jordan decreased from 11.75 dirhams to 7.25 dirhams.

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 nine dirhams, and reach more than 22 dirhams depending on the type and origin, as well as the kiwi that arrived Its price in the outlets to 18 dirhams, and is still at the same level.

The consumer, Samir Al-Sarraf, pointed to an unexpected drop in the prices of vegetables before Ramadan, as the prices of potatoes in outlets decreased to 2.95 dirhams, compared to four 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 decreased to 9.95 dirhams, despite reaching more than 14 dirhams previously, and broccoli prices fell by almost half to 7.75 dirhams. He pointed out that the prices of red onions continued at their normal levels to reach 2.95 dirhams, compared to nine dirhams in outlets previously.

Al-Sarraf said that fruits are still at their previous highs, especially oranges whose price is still high to reach 8.5 - 8.95 dirhams, despite the fact that its price ranged between 5.5 and seven dirhams at most, according to the origin before the crisis of "Corona", in addition to the plum whose price has jumped At outlets selling to more than 18 dirhams, at a price between 11 and 14 dirhams at most, 10 days ago.

Global concerns

For his part, Nanda Kumar, head of communications and marketing at the Lulu Hyper Markets Group, said that the first period of the new 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, Shipping traffic has been resumed naturally, and outlets, in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, have made arrangements to ensure an easy and smooth unimpeded flow of goods.

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.

Availability of goods

The official in one of the sales outlets, Hassan Abdel-Razzaq, said that the decrease is due to the abundance of goods on the shelves and stores, and the continued import operations regularly, after the confusion of the first period, especially with the increase in freight, in addition to resorting to alternative and new markets, adding that the increase in some seasonal fruits is considered Naturally for reasons due to the high prices in the countries of origin, indicating that the outlets are keen to provide the necessary vegetables and fruits at reasonable prices, and some types of fruit are not essential, and can be dispensed with or reduce the quantities purchased from them.

prices drop

Retail expert Ibrahim Al-Bahr considered that the low prices of many types of vegetables and fruits is due to the strong presence of local vegetable farms, during the recent period, which created competition between local and importing producers for the benefit of the consumer, and forced many outlets to reduce the prices of many vegetables.

The sea demanded the necessity of diversifying import destinations and opening new markets on an ongoing basis to overcome the problem of high prices or high freight costs for some destinations, pointing to 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 commodities, and that the import operations continue regularly, in addition to the availability of a strategic stock of food sufficient for several months.

The decline is focused on major products for which there is great consumer demand.

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