KUWAIT CITY, March 29 : Ministry of Commerce and Industry intervened and set up barriers to limit purchase as the vegetable and fruit market witnessed great chaos and overcrowding due to lack of stock caused by delayed import, reports Al-Rai daily.

Suppliers revealed that onions are imported from Egypt and India, but due to the current conditions and the rise in prices internationally, importation of the quantities needed by Kuwait was delayed.

They noted “there’s a ship load of onion that will arrive in Kuwait from India Sunday, which will contribute to maintaining prices”.

The suppliers commended the efforts of Ministry of Commerce and Industry in maintaining the stockpile by limiting rush of companies, restaurants and cooperative societies to buy onions, adding cooperative societies need 1,000 bags and restaurants also need 500 bags. It is noteworthy the price of large size of 20 kilograms onion has reached 8 dinars, while the small bag is sold for 2.250 dinars.

These high prices will continue if the arrival of imported quantities from abroad is delayed. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has since set up barriers to limit the large quantities purchased, as the societies have been restricted to 150 bags, while 50 bags have been set for restaurants.
In a statement, Ministry of Commerce and Industry confirmed that it’s inspectors dealt with the case of a group of workers scrambling in Al-Farda Market around a “onion” container by taking the necessary action.

The ministry said the inspectors dealt with the accidental event and necessary measures were taken against them. The officers are organizing the traffic for sellers and consumers according to the laid down plans and things are going back to normal.

Statement added that the perpetrators were arrested and an incident report was prepared for them, so legal measures will be taken to refer them to prosecution, with a recommendation to remove them administratively. It stated that onion stocks are available and there will be no price increase.

In the same context, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Commerce Abdullah Al-Afasi met with onion dealers and suppliers to confirm the decision to stabilize prices, demanding supply of onions to the market not be reduced. He stressed the need to abide by the law because of the exceptional circumstances the country is going through