DHULUM: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Consumer Product Index has revealed rises in the price of flour, rice, sugar, dried milk, baby milk and vegetable oil in the week Nov. 21-28. The increase came at the same time as it was announced that the price-rise allowance for state employees would continue next year at 15 percent. The index showed that sugar was subject to the highest rise, with the price of a 50 kg case exceeding SR180, a SR12-rise on previous weeks. A 10 kg case rose to SR38. Three types of rice rose by between four and seven riyals, while other types saw a slight fall in price. Dried milk, baby milk and vegetable oil also rose slightly. An official at the department tasked with receiving telephone reports of price rises and trade fraud said that the number of calls over the last week was normal and similar to previous weeks. “We haven't seen an increase in the number of calls per day which can get up to 40, mostly complaints at price rises or reports of commercial fraud,” he said. “The ministry deals with reports immediately by transferring them to the relevant branch in the region from where the complaint originates. The consumer is informed by text message of the report number and the date the complaint is transferred, and the complaint is then put in the hands of field officials who deal with it in accordance with governing regulations.”
