The Commerce Commission has today stressed that the maximum wholesale and retail prices for the basic items under price control have been set and no further mark-ups should be imposed on the products from this Saturday.
Commission Chairman, Doctor Mahendra Reddy said people cannot follow the old system of imposing mark-ups before selling the items because the commission has taken the mark-ups into account before announcing the maximum prices.
Doctor Reddy also said for now the corner shops in the whole of Viti Levu should also follow the maximum prices set for Viti Levu.
He said this decision has been based on the fact that majority of the corner shops deal directly with the wholesalers just like the supermarkets.
Doctor Reddy said the corner shops have to justify to the commission that they are not serviced by the suppliers to have higher prices.
But for now they have to follow the set maximum retail prices from this Saturday.
Meanwhile the price of lamb products will reduce drastically from this Saturday in Fiji after the Price Control Order.
Fijivillage has made an assessment of the current prices and the price for a kilogram of lamb chops is as high as $18.
Based on the order, a kilogram of lamb chops will cost $10.55 in Viti Levu while the prices will be slightly higher outside Viti Levu from this weekend.
There are also reductions in the price of lamb neck and shanks.
A kilogram of lamb neck will drop to $6.45.
The prices for all brands of rice have been reduced and brands that used to cost about $18 for a 10kg pack will cost about $10 to $12.
There are also reductions for all brands of tinned fish, sardines, tuna flakes, edible oil, baby food, baby milk, powdered milk, liquid milk, tea, corned beef and mutton, noodles, margarine and imported butter.
There are also reductions for potatoes, onions, garlic and split peas.
Families using baby formula for their babies will also benefit hugely from the reductions.
For example a S26 Gold formula that currently costs $38.91 will cost $33.47 from Saturday.
The retailers and traders found in violation of the Price Control Order will be imposed a spot fine up to $10,000 payable within 21 days or face legal proceedings and pay a fine up to $20,000.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
Feature
Maximum wholesale prices set for basic items
