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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins and officials in the Kurdistan Region have warned sellers against price hikes, grocers are well aware of the market.
To oversee the markets, the government has set up a group of committees which are responsible for regulating the price of goods.
"The food prices in the market are the same as before. You can see more bustle in the markets. For example, raisins, apricots and almonds are in high demand as people stock up for Ramadan, when they are fasting, tired, and go out less. The prices here haven't changed," Ahmed Osman a grocer in Erbil told Rudaw.
Nabaz Abdulhamid is the mayor of the capital city of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
"When our committees visit the markets, they’ll penalise those who violate the rules," said Abdulhamid.
He says in the past four months violaters have already been fined 100 million IQD ($84,000).
"As a result, there has been no increase in prices this Ramadan. We’ll be visiting markets both during the day and at night until the end of Ramadan, and we'll be visiting and monitoring restaurants too," Abdulhamid added.
Sulaimani and Duhok mayorships are also taking measures to prevent price increases.
"We have cataloged prices from previous months and years, with which we are comparing Ramadan prices. Wherever we see an increase, we’ll investigate and punish those who violate the rules," vowed Sulaimani Mayor Awat Mohammed.
To oversee the markets, the government has set up a group of committees which are responsible for regulating the price of goods.
"The food prices in the market are the same as before. You can see more bustle in the markets. For example, raisins, apricots and almonds are in high demand as people stock up for Ramadan, when they are fasting, tired, and go out less. The prices here haven't changed," Ahmed Osman a grocer in Erbil told Rudaw.
Nabaz Abdulhamid is the mayor of the capital city of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
"When our committees visit the markets, they’ll penalise those who violate the rules," said Abdulhamid.
He says in the past four months violaters have already been fined 100 million IQD ($84,000).
"As a result, there has been no increase in prices this Ramadan. We’ll be visiting markets both during the day and at night until the end of Ramadan, and we'll be visiting and monitoring restaurants too," Abdulhamid added.
Sulaimani and Duhok mayorships are also taking measures to prevent price increases.
"We have cataloged prices from previous months and years, with which we are comparing Ramadan prices. Wherever we see an increase, we’ll investigate and punish those who violate the rules," vowed Sulaimani Mayor Awat Mohammed.
Reporting by Payam Sarbast
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