Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare has decided to control the prices of locally grown produce during the upcoming month of Ramadan.
Every year during Ramadan, the price of food in the market increases. Business owners have said that this is because there is not enough supply to meet the demand.
Common produce that see price hikes include cucumber, watermelon, chili, lemon, and coconut.
State Minister at Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare Hussain Ismail said to Mihaaru News that they have started to explore how they can control the price of local produce that hits the markets, especially during Ramadan.
“Usually, the varieties used by the locals, such as watermelon, chillies and bananas, are priced at a very high rate every year. We have started the process of controlling the prices so that the prices do not go up,” Hussain said.
Right now, they are working on figuring out what kind of produce Maldivians usually use during Ramadan, and how much of it will be needed, he said.
The minister said that within this work, a study will be conducted to ascertain how much of a particular item can be produced, and estimate the additional quantity that will be required to meet demand. Through doing this, the ministry will find an avenue to ensure price control.
The work is being done through the collaboration of the Agriculture Ministry and the Local Government Ministry.
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