The prices of some fish and vegetables soared to one of their highest levels in Abu Dhabi this week but dealers attributed the surge to temporary seasonal factors, the Arabic language daily 'Al Khaleej' reported on Tuesday.
Hamour (grouper) fish was sold for nearly Dh55 per kilo at the Abu Dhabi fish market this week, nearly 40 per cent higher than a week earlier, it said.
The price of sardines leaped by nearly 200 per cent to Dh30 while that of other types of fish increased by 20-25 per cent, the paper said.
But it added other kinds of fish, including Kanaad, recorded a decline in prices because of relatively low demand for them.
“Traders attributed the increase in prices of some fish to supply shortages as most fishermen did not go to the sea during the Eid holiday,” it said.
Al Khaleej said price increases were also recorded in Abu Dhabi’s vegetable market, where the price of some items climbed to one of their highest levels.
Tomatoes were sold for Dh8 per kilo this week while the rice of squash, imported mostly from Jordan, hit an all time high of Dh15. Cucumber prices surged to about Dh8 per kilo, nearly double their level last month.
“This is because of the hot climate in the country of origin,” said Khaled Fuda, manager at a vegetable company in Abu Dhabi.
“Many farms in Jordan suffered from a sharp decline in their crop in the current season because of the hot weather.”
He said this boosted the wholesale price of a tomato box to one of its highest levels of Dh35.
“It was sold at Dh52 at the vegetable market as we included shipping, storage, labour and other costs.”
Abu Dhabi and other emirates still rely heavily on imported vegetable and fruit despite substantial progress in a drive to achieve food self sufficiency.
The country has become self sufficient in fish and some other farm products but remains one of the largest food importers in the world relative to its population, total imports and gross domestic product. A surge in global food prices in 2008 was one of the main factors that sent inflation in the UAE and other Gulf oil producers to record high double-digit levels after many years of stable consumer price index.