Food markets are bustling with consumers, which people say is unusual and motivated mainly by a fear of price rise. An economic expert said the costs for goods are known to people, so merchants should not try to deceive people by claiming higher costs. He said some merchants are raising prices because of the recent hike in salaries of government employees. As the Ministry of Commerce said it was coordinating with merchants and official bodies to secure a six-month strategic reserve of basic commodities, an official at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce said the days before Ramadan are exploited by some immoral merchants who raise prices. Saad Al-Khuraif, Chairman of the Food Security Committee, stressed the importance of a strategic reserve of basic commodities to guarantee their availability and deal with global price fluctuations. Economic expert Ehsan Buhaliqa said the Ministry of Commerce was responsible for monitoring markets through its inspectors. He said the solution for unjustifiable price hikes is that the ministry strengthens its control of the recently launched price index and provides a database for important commodities, most notably vegetables. “People are no longer deceived by the games of merchants and importers,” he said. “Everybody knows the prices merchants pay for their goods. Merchants raise the prices of basic commodities when the state raises people's salaries.” __
