Sufficient veggies at Mawaleh

The situation is “under control” at Mawaleh Central Market, which was reeling under a severe shortage of imported fruits and vegetables, Omar al Jahdhami, Head, Market Monitoring, Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP), has said. Prices had skyrocketed due to the paucity of fruits and vegetables across the Sultanate. “PACP, the ministry and the local committee of vegetable and fruit traders have convened many meetings to ensure supply meets the demand,” he said. Al Jahdhami said the Mawaleh market, the central fruit and vegetable market, will be open until 9 pm to receive trucks carrying imported fruits coming directly from some countries, including Jordan. “We also receive thousands of tonnes of fruits and vegetables by air from Thailand, India, Europe and America to meet the local demand. Now, everything should be back to normal, including prices,” he said. The shortage was caused by new rules imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries on imported fruits and vegetables. As per the rule, enforced from May 21, all imported vegetables would be allowed if they are certified to be free of harmful pesticides. According to reports on social media, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries earlier met vendors importing from UAE, who complained about rigorous checks. They also told him the procedures were expensive. — By Zainab al Nassri