The Ministry of Economy and Commerce, which constantly monitors the prices of essentials in the local market, says some basic food items are becoming cheaper by five to 29 percent. The Ministry said its Consumer Protection Cell conducted a study of the price trends with regard to basic food items in the Gulf region as a whole and found a disparity.
Some items were cheaper in some countries while they were dearer in the others. The Ministry subsequently convened a meeting of major importers and suppliers of food items from the country and discussed the issue, urging them to somehow ensure that the pricing was under control. In response to the efforts of the Ministry the prices of some basic food items have begun easing.
Among the popular food items which have become cheaper in the recent days are frozen chicken. The prices of Sadia brand of chicken, for instance, have come down by as much as 15 percent while those of Al Hilal brand have fallen by a huge 29 percent.
Likewise, powder milk has become cheaper by between five and 11 percent, whereas the rates of various brands of frozen potatoes have come down by 13 to 14 percent. The Consumer Protection Cell, the Ministry said, will continue to conduct market research in public interest and keep a close track on the pricing of essentials in the local market.
Recently, the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSC) said in a report that certain food items became more expensive in the country in the last quarter of 2008. It is, therefore, expected that in the current quarter of this year the prices of food items, particularly essentials, would show a downward trend.
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=February2009&file=Local_News2009020412513.xml
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
