Prices of several food products have risen ten days before the start of Ramadan, according to commerce chamber reports.
Khaled Fathallah, vice chairman of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, attributed price hikes to the increase in consumption in Ramadan.
He said the prices of Ramadan nuts and dried fruits doubled compared to last year. He said this is due to lower supply this year, caused by importing difficulties.
According to the Sharqia commerce chamber's weekly report, the prices of fruits have risen considerably, while those of vegetables declined. The prices of tomatoes remain stable.
The prices of sugar, poultry and eggs have increased, and the price of a 50kg sack of flour has risen to LE138 last week, up from LE136 the week before.
Live poultry prices rose by LE0.5 and a pack of eggs by LE1.
Meanwhile, Hamza al-Berry, the head of the sector for internal trade control, said campaigns to detect expired products on the market have intensified.
Berry said 2.7 tons of Ramadan products have been confiscated because their origin was unknown and there were no receipts to prove their purchase. A hotline – 19805 – has been allocated for consumer complaints, he added.
He said that the government plans to counter price hikes by increasing supplies of food.
The Ministry of Social Solidarity, commerce chambers and the Holding Company for Food Industries will hold markets to sell products at prices 20 percent lower than market prices, he said.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
