MUSCAT: The Consumer Protection Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has urged importers, distributors and retailers to shun from jacking up prices of essential items during Ramadan month, even as the government agency keeps a constant vigil on the price situation.

“We have asked the suppliers to increase imports during Ramadan period to meet the additional demand. There will be a growth in demand for several essential food items during Ramadan. But retailers should not consider it an excuse to jack up prices,” Omar bin Faisal Al Jahdhami, director at the Consumer Protection Department told Times of Oman.

Ramadan is likely to start on August 11 or 12. Jahdhami said the inspectors have been monitoring retail prices of essential commodities at supermarkets/hypermarkets on a weekly basis. “We publish the prices of essential food items every fortnight in newspapers.”

“If we get a complaint from a consumer, we ask for an explanation from the retailer,” he said, adding, “There are laws to deal with the violators. The court will decide on the penalty, which can go up to a fine of RO5,000.”

Generally, there is a 20 to 25 per cent surge in demand for several essential food items like rice, broken rice, oats, sugar, milk, fruit and curd, during the fasting month, over the normal period, informed Arvind Vijaysinh, managing partner of Golden Grains, a leading importer of food items.

“The prices are likely to remain stable this time, as the suppliers have already taken measures to enhance availability with additional imports. This is the best time for the traders and retailers,” he added.

However, sugar prices are showing a firm trend.

“Rise in sugar prices is a worldwide phenomenon,” said Jahdhami.

“It will fall in the coming days as there is no crop failure in producing countries,” opined Arvind.

Supply beefed-up

Arvind added that his company has already placed additional orders for importing rice in small packets of 2.5kg, 5kg, and 10kg.

“These are bought by local people for distributing among poor people as part of charity work during Ramadan. “We are importing these items from both India and Pakistan,” he added. Arvind said that the growth in demand has already been felt in the market. “People stock food items ahead of Ramadan.”

Meanwhile, the inflation rate in the country firmed up to 3.2 per cent in May from 3.1 per cent in April, the Ministry of National Economy earlier said.

The price of some food products like meat, poultry and vegetables moved up by 0.2 per cent, 0.2 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively.

However, policy makers are ruling out a return of the record inflation rates seen in the Sultanate just before the financial crisis. The strength of the US dollar against the euro will act as a counterbalance to rising global food prices.

A couple of years ago, at the height of inflation, major retail outlets launched special ‘Ramadan value packs’ of key grocery items at concessional rates for the benefit of economically weaker sections of the community.

These ‘value packs’ include rice, flour, sugar, cooking oil and pulses, as well as items consumed during Ramadan.