The Mawaleh Central Market was again buzzing with activity after large consignments of imported fruits and vegetables were cleared, putting an end to uncertainty over scarcity. “There were delays in clearing the foreign consignments at the Omani borders, including sea ports, as the fertiliser-free certification needed time. By Monday, a majority of the consignments were released,” an official at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry told the Observer. Fruit and vegetable supplies from other countries had slowed down in the first two days of Ramadhan as the nation had imposed strict conditions for clearing the merchandise.
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Goods were closely scrutinised for the presence of pesticides, a move aimed at safeguarding public health. Oman also started sourcing fruits and vegetables from Jordan and Egypt, which helped ease the crisis. “We are able to clear much of the consignments on Monday. However, the shortage of Indian onions and potatoes persists. We expect them to be cleared in the coming days,” said Jaffer, business development manager at Suhol al Fayha, a leading wholesale supplier. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries confirmed presence of adequate quantities of fish to meet the increasing demand during this time of the year.
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