The UAE will reduce the prices of 30,000 food items during Ramadan, the Ministry of Economy said on Sunday.
Staples such as rice, flour, sugar, meat, fish and juices will be available at lower cost.
Discounts will range from 25 to 75 per cent across 900 outlets in the country.
The ministry also said officials will clamp down on unfair price increases during the holy month.
Officers will carry out 420 inspections to ensure grocery stores and businesses follow the rule.
Marwan Al Sboosi, director of the competition and consumer protection department at the Ministry of Economy, laid out the strategy at a briefing on Sunday.
He said ministry officials had met and warned traders against price hikes.
Ramadan 2021
“These meetings were aimed at raising the level of communication and co-ordination with all suppliers and traders; exchanging information on markets that are exporting to the country; and reviewing their plans to ensure the availability of goods and meet the needs of the markets,” Mr Al Sboosi said.
“The discussions focused on preparations for Ramadan, ensuring stability of prices and preventing any unjustified price hikes.”
Mr Al Sboosi said officers met with representatives of fruit and vegetable markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to ensure enough food was available during Ramadan.
Dubai imports around 17,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables daily, while in Abu Dhabi the total is nearly 5,000 tonnes, the ministry said.
Mr Al Sboosi said 615 inspection tours have been carried out in the past three months.
Of these, 282 inspections were to monitor the quality of goods, price and labelling.
Ramadan 2020 – in pictures
A cannon is fired at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to mark the beginning of iftar in 2020. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers in Fujairah prepare food to be handed out at iftar. Antonie Robertson / The National
Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Three hundreds packets of cooked food provided by Guru Nanak Darbar (Sikh temple in Jebel Ali) for the needy are distributed by Markaz volunteers before iftar at the Naif area of Deira, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Ramadan decoration at one of the bridges on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street in Ajman. Pawan Singh / The National
A cannon is fired to mark the breaking of the Ramadan fast at Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi’s oldest standing building. Victor Besa / The National
Ramadan decorations on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A woman checks out a Ramadan promotional stand at Carrefour Yas Mall. Victor Besa / The National
Ramadan lamps for sale at the Dhow Harbour and Al Mina Souq. Victor Besa / The National
Ramadan decorations in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The sun sets behind Al Rustmani Mosque in Jebel Ali on the day before Ramadan. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Ramadan decoration at one of the bridges on Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Street in Ajman. Pawan Singh / The National
Ramadan lights on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Ramadan decoration at the Spinneys in Al Barsha, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
A Ramadan date shopper at the Abu Dhabi Dates Market at Mina Zayed. Victor Besa / The National
Ramadan decorations inside Al Fateh Plaza at the Dhow Harbour and Al Mina Souq, Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Published: April 4, 2021 07:29 PM
