Saudi- Consumers see red over tomato prices

(MENAFN- Arab News) Consumers here have slammed the rise in tomato prices which at some markets have increased by over 100 percent.

The price of 1 kg is now SR5 at the Jeddah central market for fruit and vegetables compared to SR2.50 previously. In retail stores the price has risen to SR15 from SR5 to SR8.

Tomato suppliers blamed the price rise on an unexpected shortfall in the domestic harvest this year which accounts for 60 percent of the market supply.

Ahmad Yusuf a teacher accused greedy merchants of raising prices. He said the government must take action to control prices. Another citizen Fuad Salem urged merchants to refrain from raising prices because this was affecting poor people.

Mohammad Al-Juhani a member of the food committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the late harvest is to blame for the price rise. He said this situation had taken traders by surprise.

Tomato-picking season usually starts in October and lasts for two months. Al-Juhani said the Jeddah fruit and vegetable market expects daily shipments of about 25 truckloads with 120000 tons of tomatoes.

Al-Juhani reassured consumers that the crisis would blow over because suppliers have increased their orders of imported tomatoes from Jordan Turkey and Egypt.

He said most of the tomato production locally comes from Tabuk Riyadh Wadi Al-Dawasir and Jazan.

Mutasim Abu Zinada president of brokers at the central vegetable market in Jeddah said prices would go back to their normal levels soon saying shortages were caused by the late local harvest that accounts for 60 percent of the market.

Government officials in Jeddah meanwhile confiscated over 7000 cartons of rotten tomatoes at the fruit and vegetable market.