Kuwait Takes Action to Prevent Food Price Manipulation Before Ramadan
The objectives of these inspections include:
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Kuwait Times
5 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Shrimp prices drop; Kuwait Bay fishing ban back in spotlight
KUWAIT: Local fish markets are seeing increased supplies of shrimp and pomfret (Zubaidi) as the seasonal fishing ban comes to an end, bringing relief to seafood lovers and easing prices. Since August 1, fishermen have landed over 75 tons of Kuwaiti shrimp, alongside around 25 tons of local pomfret since mid-July, Abdullah Al-Sarheed, Chairman of the Kuwait Fishermen's Union, told KTV news channel. He said prices have already dropped, with shrimp baskets falling from 55 to 40–45 dinars. A shrimp basket typically weighs around 23 kg and must be sold without added ice, in line with Ministry of Commerce regulations. He urged shoppers to buy directly from market auctions rather than stalls to get the freshest catch at the fairest price. 'At the auction, you pay one set price without hidden costs, and you know the fish is local and fresh,' he said. But Al-Sarheed argues that prices for mullet (maid) could fall further if the government lifts the July-to-September fishing ban inside Kuwait Bay and Kuwait's territorial waters. During this period, fishermen are allowed to catch maid in Kuwait's economic waters, 12 miles from the country's coasts. The ban remains in force even after the main November-to-June seasonal closure ends. The July-to-September ban has long been criticized by local fishermen as a main factor contributing to reduced maid supply in the Kuwaiti market. 'The designated areas aren't yielding any catch right now,' he said. 'However, there is plenty of mullet available, as we have shared videos before showing large amounts inside the bay.' In a statement published this May, Al-Sarheed renewed fishermen's demands to open Kuwait Bay for fishing. 'Mullet lives in shallow waters, and the fishing areas currently permitted by the Public Authority for Agriculture do not provide the quantities required by consumers,' he said. 'This has led to the disappearance of mullet from market stalls for several years.' The same month, the Public Environment Authority clarified that fishing bans in specific areas aim to protect and sustain fish stocks. The Authority referenced Article 100 of the Environmental Protection Law No. 42 of 2014, which prohibits fishing or disturbing wild marine life outside of designated seasons and locations. It also highlighted that Kuwait Bay serves as a crucial nursery for many marine larvae, making it vital for stock preservation. In a 2023 opinion piece published in Al-Jarida, Dr Suleiman Al-Mutar, former head of marine agriculture at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, argued that scientific studies show mullet are a fully local stock that can be managed sustainably without an outright ban. He said allowing fishing in Kuwait Bay during the summer — with catch limits and vessel quotas — would not harm the species. For now, the ban remains, and fishermen are focusing on the seasonal bounty. With shrimp and Zubaidi abundantly available, Al-Sarheed encouraged people to stock up. 'Fill your freezer now before prices rise again,' he advised.
Arab Times
7 days ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait food subsidies rise 20% in April-May to KD56.4 million
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: Subsidies provided by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for various food items increased by 20 percent, amounting to KD56.41 million in April and May -- KD25.10 million in April and KD31.31 million in May; a 4.3 percent year-on-year decrease compared to KD32.70 million food subsidies in May 2024. Recent statistics from the ministry showed that the group of basic commodities disbursed through the ration card accounted for about 38.6 percent of the value of subsidies for food supplies in April and May, amounting to KD22 million. This increased by 75 percent in May, totaling KD14 million compared to only KD8 million in April -- an annual decrease of 12.5 percent compared to the subsidies provided for basic commodities in May 2024, which amounted to about KD16 million. Trade support for dairy products and infant nutrition during the two months amounted to around KD2.4 million or 4.3 percent of the total value of subsidies. It states a monthly decrease of 8.3 percent or KD104,000 -- KD1.3 million in April and KD1.1 million in May. Construction materials accounted for approximately 57 percent of the value of subsidies provided for food supplies during the two months, totaling KD32.2 million -- 2.4 percent monthly increase, totaling KD16.3 million in May compared to KD15.9 million in April. The total number of ration cards by the end of May 2025 reached 272,000 -- 2.2 percent annual increase over the 266,000 in May 2024. The number of individuals benefiting from subsidized food supplies in May reached 229,000 -- three percent annual increase compared to 222,000 in May last year. The number of trademark registration applications in May reached 1,255 -- a 12 percent increase over the 1,120 applications in April. A total of 1,162 trademarks were published -- two percent more than the previous month. The number of grievances against a trademark registration decision or suspension of a condition reached 10 -- 233 percent increase. The number of objections to the acceptance of a trademark registration reached 18, and 616 trademark renewal applications during the final year of its protection period -- decreased by 15 percent compared to the previous month. The number of trademark renewal publication transactions reached 664 -- 16 percent decrease compared to April. The number of license publication transactions reached 18 -- a decrease of 18 percent compared to April. The number of patent applications (individuals) reached seven and patent applications (companies) reached 70 – 25 percent increase. The number of patent grant and publication transactions (companies) reached seven transactions – 250 percent increase. The number of correction, amendment or addition to a patent application (companies) reached 11 – 57 percent increase. The number of transfer of rights to the application or transfer of patent ownership (companies) reached two in May. The number of industrial design filing requests reached 48 – 45 percent increase compared to April. The number of industrial design grant and publication transactions reached 15 – 63 percent decrease. The number of requests to change the owner (individuals) reached two, as well as two transactions for publication of fees and six industrial design renewal publication transactions -- 14 percent decrease in May.
Arab Times
02-08-2025
- Arab Times
Kuwait Shops, markets face heat over consumer violations
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 2: Statistics from the Commercial Control Department at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the period July 1-30 revealed the registration of 1,357 violation reports – 1,215 inspection reports and 142 consumer complaint reports – under 30 categories of violations. The newspaper obtained a copy of the violations report that the inspection teams headed by Director of the department Faisal Al-Ansari prepared. The violations include the following: Failure to comply with regulations on advertising data, contracts and invoices; Failure to use the Arabic language; Price violations; Engaging in an activity without a license; - Non-compliance with the prohibition of certain goods and their circulation, including goods that violate public morals, goods printed with Quranic verses, images of His Highness the Amir, the State emblem and flag, bladed weapons, rifles, pistols, self-defense weapons and fireworks; Violation of general provisions, such as refraining from selling goods or providing services, hiring domestic workers, and provisions regulating the sale and circulation of vegetables and fruits, such as retail within the vegetable market ('farza'), displaying and selling vegetables and fruits without clear information (package weight and country of origin), and absence of a sign for selling vegetables and fruits (such as price, unit and weight); Violation of provisions regulating the sale and circulation of meat (sale of minced meat), provisions regulating after-sales services (failure of an agent to provide manufactured spare parts, failure to comply with the maintenance or repair period for warranted goods, and failure to provide alternative goods during the warranty period); Violation of regulations governing the trading and sale of goods and services (closing a store with the intent to refrain from selling or providing services); Unjustified high prices for consumer goods per person; Violation of regulations governing the advertising of prices of goods, food and services in shops and restaurants, such as retail sales activities, listing meat and food types on the menu, prices and weight of egg sandwiches and omelets, absence of the list of meat types and their condition, underweight grilled meat, additional fees and amounts on the value of goods, merchandise, materials, machinery or services, the licensee exceeding general price reductions by raising all or some of the selling prices, failure to place a list of prices clearly in Arabic, and failure to specify the goods and services excluded in the offer); Commercial fraud violations included the import, export, re-export, manufacture, production, sale, storage or transportation of counterfeit or adulterated goods, or materials used to produce adulterate goods, as well as deception or fraud regarding the type, origin, composition or date of goods;
