Trade Ministry monitors food supply, prices in preparation of Ramadan

AMMAN — As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, the Trade Ministry is monitoring availability of commodities, their prices as well as ensuring food safety.

Yanal Barmawi, the spokesperson for the ministry, provided insights into the ministry’s preparations for Ramadan. He assured that there are ample supplies of essential foodstuffs for the upcoming holy month. Furthermore, he affirmed that the ministry is persistently tracking prices and promotions in the local market.

Barmawi also emphasised that field inspections are ongoing as part of a comprehensive plan to address potential vulnerabilities to food price instability.

The spokesperson said recently  that the ministry is committed to bolstering the country’s strategic stock of basic foodstuffs. The current focus is on ensuring price stability amidst the ongoing disruption in Red Sea freight, he added. 

Speaking with The Jordan Times on Tuesday, Waleed Ali pointed out that sector operators and grocery retailers have already stockpiled their products and foodstuffs, noting that that the demand for food commodities ahead of Ramadan is relatively stable but is expected to surge in the coming days.

Osama Ajarmah, an employee at a hypermarket, said that the demand for foodstuffs spikes remarkably one week before Ramadan, however, after the first week the number of visitors drops significantly.