Price hikes will not be allowed during Ramadan: Economic Minister

Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed has stated that prices will not increase during the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan.

He made this statement while speaking at the "Ahaa" forum series held on Saturday night, which provides opportunities for the public to question ministers.

Saeed said that special policies have been formulated to prevent price increases for 183 items in the market.

He mentioned that 54 items have been included as essential items for Ramadan.

Describing that increasing prices during Ramadan is not an option for businesses either, Saeed assured that they would intervene and that it is “not a choice”.

According to the Economic Minister, the government has already made arrangements to ensure prices do not increase during Ramadan. The minister has also stated that if any item's price increases in the market, they will intervene to resolve the issue.

Saeed went on to claim that 2024 would have been the only year where prices remained stable without increases during Ramadan.

However, it's a point to note that every year, governments have worked to maintain prices of essential items such as onions, potatoes, and eggs at certain levels. Therefore, the current government's claim that this is the first Ramadan month where prices were kept from rising significantly is contrary to the truth.