Vegetable, fruit prices easing after surge

The upward shift in vegetable and fruit prices this year has caused an uproar amongst consumers

Prices of fruits and vegetables, which have seen an increase of 70-80% in the last one week, are expected to come down to pre-Ramadan levels in two days’ time, retailers said yesterday.

The increase, in some cases, as much as 150% for some produce, is traditionally seen during the first and last weeks of the holy month across the Middle East, retailers said.

The upward shift this year has caused an uproar amongst consumers in the country who are calling on the authorities to intervene to check what they believe as artificially jacked-up prices.

“This pattern (increase of prices during Ramadan) is normal and is based on increased consumption during the first and last weeks of Ramadan,” a retailer told Gulf Times yesterday.

“This trend is seen not only in Qatar but also across the region,” the retailer added. As of yesterday though, prices were down 50-60% when the Central Market (fresh fruit and vegetable market) closed at 9pm, while another decrease of 10-20% today should bring down the prices to pre-Ramadan levels, another retailer said.

Qatar imports 95% of its food needs, according to the state’s National Food Security Programme. It gets much of its fresh fruit and vegetables from countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

“The transportation cost of a 40ft container from Jordan to Qatar has increased from QR6,000-QR8,000 to QR12,000-QR14,000 after Ramadan.

This happens because drivers as well as their containers are not available as most like to take time off during Ramadan,” the second retailer said.

The price of a box (approximately 6kg) of Saudi cucumber, which had been QR25-30 before Ramadan, was being sold in the market for QR70.

A box of a sweet melon (approximately 8kg) was sold at QR50 at its highest while it went down to QR45 yesterday and is expected to come down further.

The same quantity was QR15-18 before Ramadan. Another produce, the local-favourite marrow was QR15-20 per box (approximately 5kg) but went up to QR55-QR75 on Wednesday, the first day of Ramadan.

“The wholesale dealer in exporting countries knows that what he can sell locally for QR12 can be sold in Qatar for QR20-25 due to increase in demand,” a trader explained. “We as retailers still try to keep the prices low, hoping to off-set our cost elsewhere from the fast-moving consumer’ goods,” he added.

The Consumer Protection Department (CPD), like previous years, enforced a strict price list of 156 items at major retailers across the country but failed to include fruits and vegetable on it.