DOHA: The latest data released by the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) at the Ministry of Business and Trade have shown a significant increase in the prices of fruits and vegetables in the central market over the past one year.
Prices of vegetables rose by 18 percent in January this year compared to December 2012 and the fruit prices increased by seven percent over this period, according to CPD’s monthly statistics.
Vegetables became dearer by nine percent in January compared to December 2012, while prices of fruits remained stable during this period. Prices of fish increased by 10 percent compared to December last year but declined by 21 percent compared to January last year.
There was no noticeable increase in the prices of meat in January, compared to December. Comparative prices of meat in 2013 and 2012 have not been given.
Vegetables that witnessed the highest price increase over the past one year were Saudi cucumber, Chinese ginger, Qatari cauliflower, Jordanian tomato, Qatari egg plant, Indian red onion, Koosa (Saudi and Qatari) and Chinese garlic.
A total of 18,187 tonnes of vegetables arrived in the central market in January, which was around one per cent more compared to December 2012, when imports amounted to 18,000 tonnes. Imports in January were 25 percent higher compared to the annual average in 2012.
Indian retained its top position among the exporting countries in January, while Iran came second. Local products took the third position, followed by South Africa, Pakistan, Jordan and China, respectively.
The Philippines topped the list of countries exporting fruits to Qatar in January with two main products- banana and pineapple. Egypt came second with products including mainly orange, guava, lemon and strawberry, followed by Lebanon in the third position that exported orange, apple and grapes. Other major exporters of fruits were Turkey, South Africa, France, Pakistan and China. Prices of Spanish pomegranate, African orange, Indian lemon, Chinese apple and Turkish grapes decreased in January while Egyptian strawberry, Lebanese grape, Pakistani orange, French apple and Egyptian pomegranate became dearer. THE PENINSULA
