Fruit and vegetable prices to fall

Fruit and vegetable prices are expected to drop by around 20 per cent during Ramadan, said an official at the Ministry of Economy. Dr Hashim Al Nuaimi, Head of the Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Economy, conducted his inspection at Dubai fruit and vegetable market on Sunday as part of a series of trips to monitor prices and ensure outlets are abiding by the directive from the Ministry of Economy to keep prices low during Ramadan. During his tour Dr Al Nuaimi inspected the different stalls checking for prices, unclear price labels and the freshness of the vegetables. "If you want to buy fruit or vegetables, the price needs to be clear for the consumer. But today I'm seeing a lot of people are not putting clear pricing. Anyone who does not have this will be fined. I warned them before and everyone knows about the initiative," said Al Nuaimi during his inspection. Article continues below During his rounds he found several stalls disobeying the rules. Their licences were taken and they were issued warnings. In June, the Ministry of Economy announced that the prices of essential commodities, including fruit and vegetables, would be reduced by up to 25 per cent during Ramadan. "We're also looking at the prices to see that they comply," said Dr Al Nuaimi. At a recent press conference an official at the Ministry of Economy also announced that the ministry would take measures to control the price of meat during Ramadan. According to Dr Al Nuaimi, more than 500 ministry inspectors will monitor fruit and vegetable markets across the country. "It's important the consumer has very strong rights. If they have any trouble in the market, they can call the hotline 600522225," he said. Last year, the Ministry of Economy also sent out inspectors to compare food prices during Ramadan to ensure that retailers were not raising their prices to take advantage of increased demand.