Bahrain markets gearing up for Ramadan

Manama, May 22 (BNA): Preparations are in full swing to provide sufficient food suppliesduring Ramadan which will start next month. Chairing last week's Cabinet meeting, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa gave directives to ensure basic commodities at affordable prices. Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry Undersecretary Nader Khalil Almoayyed held a meeting with food traders and officials representing hypermarkets and discussed ongoing preparations and planned promotions with the start of the countdown. Hypermarkets have already built enough stocks of food products to meet demand for more than three months. They have launched promotions which will run until the end of Ramadan. Importers of fruit and vegetables pledged to meet the customers' needs during Ramadan, expecting demand to exceed 3,500 tons daily. Supplies of fruit and vegetables will be imported mainly from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa and other countries. Bahrain Livestock Company and Delmon Poultry are also stepping up to supply the market with products from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, Brazil and other food and meat-exporting countries. Bahrain Flour Mills Company will meet the needs of the market and supply more than 685 traditional bakeries and 74 modern ones with daily supplies of subsidized flour.