By Kabeer Yousuf — MUSCAT: May 27 - Mawaleh Market, Oman’s central fruits and vegetable market, has reported a massive decline in the import of fruits and vegetables from across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and beyond at a time when the demand is high.
This has resulted in non-availability of some produces or soaring of prices.
The supply of fruits and vegetables from the GCC, Asian countries like India and Arab countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Egypt and Iran, among others, have stopped or slowed down from May 21.
The result is surging demand and soaring prices. A box of lettuce, which was sold for RO 3 or RO 4 until recently, sells for RO 16 now.
Indian onions cannot even be seen, but onions from other countries are available for 200 baisa per kg. It was just 100 or 110 baisa last week. It is no different as far as garlic, ginger, lemon, banana and kiwi are concerned.
A kilo of cabbage is sold for RO 3 as against RO 1 last week.
Yemeni mangoes cost RO 3.200 (1.800), while Indian mangoes and chilli have disappeared from the market.
“No produce or hardly any produce is arriving in the market; we are forced to raise the prices,” a wholesale vendor told the Observer.
“If the situation continues, there wouldn’t be enough stock to sell to the retailers in the coming days,” he said.
According to him, Suhar is “almost dry” with hardly any supply of fruits or vegetables because the local market is heavily dependent on the neighbouring country.
Oman recently imposed a rule that says imported fruits and vegetables should be certified to rule out the presence of harmful fertilisers. All items are subjected to checks at check-posts and sea ports. “The measures are so strict that every item in a mix-shipment is subject to rigorous checks. It takes days to complete all formalities,” said another vendor.
Earlier, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain had stopped importing some fruits and vegetables from Oman after they found the presence of fertilisers.
The Public Authority for Consumer Protection (PACP) has convened a meeting of major suppliers and wholesale vendors detailing the new steps initiated by the country in order to safeguard citizens and residents from harmful fertilisers in fruits and vegetables.
“This move can certainly be of help to the local farmers,” a vegetable dealer said.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
