Prices again

Ad-Dustour’s Nassim Oneizat said that Jordanian markets are witnessing a new wave of unprecedented hikes that affected everything: foodstuff, fruits, vegetables and even construction materials.

These hikes are justified with pretexts that all are aware they cannot cause prices to reach such levels in light of the difficult economic and living conditions, said the writer.

Some people link these hikes with the Russian-Ukrainian war whose impacts have not yet affected markets, especially that merchants have stocks, except for oil, which the government incurred the cost of its process, added the columnist, wondering about the impact and level of greed by some traders.

If the public approved hikes on imported items, then what would the justification be for the prices of local fruits and vegetables in light of exchanging accusation between farmers and traders, where each side is blaming the other, until the government intervened and pledge to compensate farmers after the frost wave that recently affected their produce, said the writer.

Some believe that the greed of merchants and their plans to use circumstances is the main cause for such hikes, especially that the same scenario repeats itself with Ramadan is approaching, but this time hikes are greater.