The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has assured the public that the prices of basic food will not rise during Ramadan.
Every year, the prices of food rises sharply during the month of Ramadan. Last year, while the market was bustling during Ramadan, overall prices were comparatively higher than through the rest of the year.
Speaking to local media, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Welfare, Hussain Ismail said the ministry is mandated with stabilising food prices during the month of Ramadan.
“Hopefully, we will start the work this week in collaboration with the relevant agencies. We are confident that unlike other years, this year’s Ramadan will be with controlled prices of locally produced goods,” Ismail said.
Ismail said work would begin immediately and that determining the amount of stock needed for the month of Ramadan would be the first action.
“We’re looking at the numbers we need. We’re looking at how much we can put on the market and how much more we need to pump in. We’ll control the market prices,” he said.
According to Ismail, AgroNAT, the state-owned enterprise (SOE) tasked with promoting development in the agriculture sector, is working to ensure that farmers can bring their produce to the market fresh. While the exact volume of the farmers’ production in islands is currently unknown, once a scale has been established, and compared to the amount that needs to be made available, it will be easier to control the price, Ismail said.
Ramadan 1445 begins on 10 March 2024.