Country stock of food sufficient for month of Ramadan — traders

AMMAN – With the holy month of Ramadan around the corner, foodstuff traders say the local market is ready to welcome the fasting month.

According to Foodstuff Traders Association President Khalil Haj Tawfiq, the supply of basic food items in the local market, including those in high demand during Ramadan, is sufficient to meet public demand during the holy month, which will start May 27. 

"We are confident that the country's stock of food is sufficient, as we do not expect a high demand during Ramadan," Haj Tawfiq told The Jordan Times on Monday, noting that "citizens' consumption during fasting days is becoming somehow similar to ordinary days".

"This is due to the difficult economic situation Jordanians are going through. Ramadan used to witness an increase of at least 50 per cent on food demand, but this has not been the case in the last few years," he said.

With the biggest chunk of citizens' income now going to services, such as electricity, education and rentals, the consumption behaviours of Jordanians during Ramadan have changed. 

"For instance, those who used to cook other meats every day during Ramadan shifted to chicken," noted Haj Tawfiq, adding that the month is followed by Eid Al Fitr and the start of the school year, while coinciding with the wedding seasons, which all add to the financial burden of households.  

On the other hand, he noted that, since this year's Ramadan will coincide with the return of expatriates and the coming of Gulf tourists, the shortage in local food demand will be compensated for by visitors. 

Jordanians spend around JD5.5 billion a year on food, while exports of foodstuff reached JD4 billion in 2016, according to the traders' representative. 

"The influx of refugees has increased the overall demand for food," said Haj Tawfiq, who added that the association has recently met with traders from malls and shops to ensure food items are available and prices are stable. 

"The association members will prepare more than half-a-million food parcels to be handed out to the underprivileged during the holy month," he noted.