Ammon news – Monthly fluctuations in food prices, both nationally and internationally, have elicited mixed reactions from Jordanians.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food prices peaked in 10 years in 2021, increasing on average by 28% compared to 2020.
The FAO added that soaring international prices for vegetable oils, sugar and grains caused the index to rise.
International food prices edged down in December 2021, as international vegetable oil and sugar prices fell significantly.
“The ongoing global pandemic and increasingly volatile weather conditions leave little room for optimism that market conditions will return to more stable even in 2022,” the FAO website said.
While the meat price index was “broadly stable” in December, it had risen 12.7% throughout 2021.
The vegetable oil price index fell 3.3% in December, due to lower global import demand, which may be linked to concerns over increasing cases of COVID-19.
Anas Mansour, a Jordanian, said on Saturday that he normally spends around JD 250 per month on groceries, but since the start of the pandemic he has spent around JD 50 more.
“Prices are constantly changing and it’s the people who usually buy their homes who notice the change,” he said.
It’s important to have a budget for groceries, especially during this unprecedented time, said Suad Fadda, mother of two. She noted that “lately coffee prices have increased dramatically and chicken prices are constantly changing.”
Waleed Ali, owner of a grocery store, said he felt food prices would rise during the pandemic.
The volatility of food prices during this period had a negative impact on low-income households, he said.
“It is good news that world food prices have come down a bit,” he added.
* Jordanian days
