(MENAFN - Arab News) The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has assured the public that commodities of high demand in Ramadan are available in local markets in sufficient quantities.
This came in a report the ministry issued after its officials toured the markets in a number of cities to make sure there are enough quantities of commodities, and to check prices are reasonable for everyone.
The report stated the supply (of Ramadan goods) is in abundance, and that the healthy competition between shopping centers reflected positively on prices. Each one is carrying out competitive offers for consumers, especially during the days before Ramadan.
The report included a comparison of commodities' price averages in the two months preceding Ramadan - Rajab and Shaban - this year and the ones in the same period last year.
The report concentrated on commodities that are in high demand in Ramadan.
The average price of a 2 kg packet of brown, white or premium flour is SR 2.60, which was the same last year, while the 5 kg packet's average price is SR 6.60 - SR 1 higher than last year.
As for soup, the average price for a 500 g pack of Quaker oat soup is SR 8; a 24-pack carton is sold for SR 175 from wholesalers - SR 7.30 per pack. The carton's average price is SR 4 higher than it was last year. The average price of a pack of Bayti oat soup is SR 3.50, 10 halalas higher than its price in a carton of 24 packets bought from wholesalers for SR 82.
A pack of Al-Methali oat soup is sold for the same price, while a 24-pack carton is sold by wholesalers for SR 80 - SR 3.30 per pack.
One packet of Maggi soup costs an average SR 3. The average wholesale price of a carton is SR 130 - SR 2.70 per packet.
As for pasta (spaghetti), an Al-Alali 450 g packet costs SR 3.50; a carton from a wholesaler costs in average SR 65, which is SR 3.30 per packet.
A Goody spaghetti 450 g packet's average price is SR 3.90; the wholesale price of a carton is SR 65, which is SR 3.30 per packet.
Al-Wafra spaghetti 400 g packet's average price is SR 2.60; the carton costs SR 36 - SR 1.80 per packet.
As for muhallabiya (pudding) and jelly and their ingredients, the average price of a Greens crme caramel powder package that contains 36 packets of 49 g each reached SR 49 this year, SR 2 higher than it was last year. A wholesale average price of a carton is SR 388, which is SR 48.50 per package. The carton price increased by SR 88 compared to last year's carton price of SR 300.
As for drinks, a 710 ml Vimto bottle costs SR 9.20; a carton's wholesale price is SR 100. Tang drink retail average price is SR 13.20; the wholesale price is SR 171.
