The Trade Ministry will force the sale of staples including rice, flour and sugar according to a price control list.
The ministry said that businesses selling flour, sugar and rice higher than the price control list will be fined up to Rf 100,000 (US$6500).
‘’Items should be available at the specified prices at all venues trading in these items from May 16, 2011,’’ the ministry said, adding that the enforcement was justified under Article 7 (a) of the Consumer Protection Act (Act number 1/96).
According to the ministry’s price control list for the capital Male’, flour has to be sold at Rf3.28 per kilo, sugar Rf4.30 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.28 per kilo. For the rest of Kaafu Atoll, the price of flour per kilo is Rf3.56, sugar Rf4.58 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.56 per kilo. Meanwhile in Seenu Atoll in the country’s south flour must be sold for Rf3.98 per kilo, sugar Rf5 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.98 per kilo.
The control price of flour per kilo for Haa Alifu Atoll is Rf3.81, Sugar Rf4.83 and the price for normal rice is Rf4.81.
For Haa Dhaalu Atoll, the price of flour is Rf3.76 per kilo, Sugar Rf4.78 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.76 per kilo.
In Shaviyan Atoll flour has to be sold for Rf3.71 per kilo, Sugar Rf4.73 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.71 per kilo while in Noonu Atoll flour has to be sold for Rf3.66 per kilo, sugar Rf4.68 per kilo, normal rice Rf4.66 per kilo.
In Raa Atoll flour has to be Rf3.68 per kilo, sugar Rf 4.70 per kilo and normal rice has to be sold Rf4.68 per kilo.
As for Baa Atoll, price of flour mentioned in the control list is Rf3.61 per kilo, sugar Rf4.63 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.61 per kilo.
According to the list, price for flour in Lhaviyani Atoll has to be Rf3.61 per kilo, sugar Rf4.63 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.61 per kilo.
While in Fuvamulah flour has to be sold at Rf3.94 per kilo, sugar Rf4.96 per kilo and normal rice Rf4.94 per kilo.
Recently a group of youths along with some opposition political figures protested in the streets of Male’ calling for the government to reduce the price of products and reduce living costs, and opposed the government’s decision to implement a managed float of the rufiya within a 20 percent band of the pegged rate of Rf12.85 to the dollar.
The move comes on top of a decision last week to halve the import duty on diesel, used to fuel the country’s extensive dhoni fleet.
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"Recently a group of youths along with some opposition political figures protested in the streets of Male’ calling for the government to reduce the price of products and reduce living costs..."
Nah, they just wanted cheap cappuccinos and petrol for their motorcycles.
why on earth was this not enforced from the get go ? If it is not being enforced why have a control list any way? Typical incompetence of the government.
Agreed with Nash.
Very true, this measure should have been applied from the day this government took over! Why it was not applied may not possibly be because of incompetence though!
But it should have been applied and not only to staple foods, but to food and some essential consumer good also!
Its not that difficult to business people not to import the stuff for time being if they have to struggle. How that would be positive to buyers?