RIYADH: An animal breeder here says the skyrocketing price of barley – used to feed his animals - is likely to double the cost of sacrificial sheep for consumers. Khaled Al-Shameri, a sheep breeder in Riyadh said: “The price of barley is out of control and at a level we have not seen before. Believe it or not, a bag of Australian barley is now SR53 compared to SR31. Also, the price of one bag of dried bread is now SR15. In the past we used to get it for SR5.” He said the barley prices will be reflected in the price of sheep, and will probably double the cost. He appealed to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to intensify its campaigns, in conjunction with the Riyadh Mayoralty, to find and punish merchants who tamper with the barley price. Al-Shameri said there is an abundant supply of barley on the market. The only reason for the astronomical prices was the greed of the barley importers, he added. He said this also poses a crucial question about the alleged absence of the Consumer Protection Society. He said it was the society's task to protect consumers from unscrupulous merchants trying to make quick profits.
