‘Authorities working to ensure price stability, food availability in Ramadan’

AMMAN — All necessary procedures to ensure the stability of prices and availability of food items during the fasting month of Ramadan have been taken, senior officials said on Wednesday.

At a meeting Industry, Trade and Supply Minister Hatem Halawani and Agriculture Minister Akef Zu’bi held with public and private sector representatives, they said the government is keen on providing basic food items and keeping prices affordable during Ramadan, which starts at the end of June.

A Trade Ministry statement quoted Halawani as saying that a comparison study of the price of 61 food items in the first two weeks of June showed that 84 per cent of the items’ prices either stabilised or decreased.

The price of 65 per cent of foodstuff has dropped compared with the same period ahead of Ramadan last year, according to the study.

Jordanians tend to stock up on more food items during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, when Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset. 

Zu’bi said that fruit and vegetable prices are currently stable, with ample agricultural production to cover demand, noting that white meat is abundantly available, with 28,000 tonnes of local poultry and 5 tonnes of imported poultry.

Halawani said inspection teams will tour markets and malls during Ramadan to guarantee the availability of items at affordable prices.