Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has clarified that the reduction in the price during Ramadan of fruits and vegetables produced locally will not be implemented through imposing price control measures.
The Ministry said instead that it will be achieved through assisting agricultural workers to increase production and easing the process of sending the produce to market.
The Ministry revealed these details after expressions of concern were voiced following their earlier announcement that prices would be reduced during Ramadan.
"We are not saying that a certain type of vegetable or fruit must be sold at a certain price. We will not implement price control measures against produce," State Minister Hussain Ismail explained to Mihaaru News.
"What happens is demand is higher than supply in Ramadan when it comes to locally grown produce. What we will be doing is assisting farmers to more conveniently bring produce to markets," he said.
Ismail said that oftentimes the intermediary which gets involved in transporting the produce from farms to market charge exorbitant fees. He said that the ministry is looking into ways to ease the process for farmers.
"For example, the transport cost involved in farmers selling their produce. Cost of the boat trip, the pick up...what we are aiming to do is find solutions for the challenges farmers face, and to find a way in which the produce can be directly placed on sale in markets," he explained.
Ismail said that this would achieve two things; reduce prices for consumers, while also benefitting the farmers themselves.
Ismail added that the ministry is currently conducting studies to ascertain the amount of produce Maldivians consume within Ramadan on average. He said this study, being conducted in collaboration with the Local Government Ministry, will reach completion within the next couple of weeks.
Every year, prices of local products in the market are significantly increased. Businessmen claim that this is due to the inability of farmers to meet the demand, and farmers say this is due in large part to transportation challenges.
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