Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — As the holy month of Ramadan is fast approaching, Jeddah is witnessing hectic activity. Right from top traders to street vendors, everyone is busy stocking ware that will be in great demand during the fasting month. This year Ramadan was expected to be different from previous years due to a cut in government spending and the continuation of schools. However, Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Salman ordered to restore allowances to all government staff and also modified the academic calendar so that schools remain closed during the month. These two factors have brought cheers to the market as they increased consumer confidence as can be seen in the evenings in all market places. A festive mood permeates around supermarkets and other commercial centers across the city. To avoid the expected rush in the coming days, some families are doing their Ramadan shopping in advance. There is a surge in footfall at markets as many families stock up on groceries for the whole month. "We simply do not want to waste our precious time in Ramadan month shopping and driving in the nightly chaos," said Irshad Ali Parvez, an Indian expatriate, echoing the views of many. The restoration of allowances has become a turning point for traders as well as much of the government employees, according to market sources. Many retailers in the city are luring customers with attractive Ramadan offers that include lucky draws for expensive prizes, including cars. Inspection teams from the Ministry of Commerce have been making rounds in various markets to check on the authenticity of publicized discount sales and any price manipulations. The demand for rice, sugar, oil and beverages increased by nearly 40 percent in the past few days, said an executive of a leading hypermarket. "The demand increases significantly in the three days before Ramadan as customers fear that merchants might inflate prices or the difficulty of driving in heavy traffic in Ramadan. This is why they rush to buy and store large amounts of foodstuffs," he explained. The prices of essential food items remained stable, with some of the leading brands offering discounts, according customers. Meat, rice and sugar prices are stable and lower in some cases compared to last Ramadan. However, vegetable prices continued to soar due to poor supplies from abroad, especially from Turkey and Jordan. The rise in tomato prices is expected to continue till mid Ramadan, according to local traders. The Saudi Food Drug and Authority (SFDA), the Ministry of Commerce and Investment and Jeddah Municipality have intensified inspection visits to establishments that supply and store food items. The move comes to verify the integrity of the supply of food in terms of quality and suitability for human consumption under the framework of the precautions taken to avoid any incidents of food poisoning in the month of Ramadan.
