Damascus-SANA
The Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, Dr. Amr Salem, stressed that the focus during this stage will be entirely on the basic commodities that citizens need, at the lowest possible prices.
Salem said in an interview with Al-Ikhbariya Al-Youm: “We have to secure all conditions that allow prices to be reduced, whether through the cost of production or in terms of control,” noting that the ministry has developed an approach according to “small and successive steps that build confidence and lead to greater results.”
With regard to the issue of the positive intervention of the Syrian Trade Establishment, Salem said that its previous methodology was completely changed, pointing to the success of a new experiment that was conducted in Damascus last week, which consisted in purchasing vegetables and fruits from farmers directly or through agricultural associations at a more remunerative price than the merchant’s price, in order to sell them at a wholesale and cheaper price. From the market in the Syrian halls of trade.
The Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection pointed out that the success of the experiment in Damascus prompted the ministry to include the Damascus countryside as a single area, and to move to the rest of the provinces, respectively.
Salem explained that the pricing policy in the ministry was modified simultaneously with complete administrative changes in the Prices Directorate, noting that the ministry today "prices based on the real cost and not on the merchant's desire."
Salem stressed that the ministry is working to reduce the costs of cheese and dairy producers to reach an appropriate price and to prevent monopoly and high prices, "but this needs some time."
Regarding the issue of ovens and the quality of the loaf of bread, Salem confirmed that the quality of the loaf has improved in 90 percent of the bakeries, and that the grinding capacity, which was “very low due to malfunctions and the lack of maintenance for many years, is recovering today its energy after starting a comprehensive process to repair it.”
Salem confirmed that after the direct positive intervention with sugar and tea, large quantities of oil are collected to be put on the market soon, explaining that the ministry will support the merchant and industrialist who works with honor and patriotism, not monopolists.