The State Trading Organization (STO) has stated that preparations are underway to release the newly added items to the list of essential food products to the market. The government has added 23 new items to the list of food products imported to the Maldives. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu decided to import and sell the most commonly imported fruits and vegetables through STO to implement the policy of ensuring food security in the Maldives, which was one of his campaign promises. With this decision, STO has begun the necessary work to accomplish this task.
Responding to a question from PSM News regarding the ongoing work, STO said that the additional items are set to be released to the market before the 15th of this month, and they are currently preparing for this. STO mentioned that these items have already been ordered. The company has stated that they will be able to release these items to the market by the set date. Currently, STO is importing grain products. To stabilize market prices, the government has decided to import and sell in bulk the grain products such as rice, sugar, and flour, along with the 10 most imported types of fruits and 10 types of vegetables, as well as onions, eggs, and potatoes. In addition to these items, the Ministry of Economic Development has designated yellow onions, chicken eggs, and coconuts as essential food items. The government states that when STO begins importing and selling these items as per this decision, it will stabilize their prices in the market, allowing citizens to purchase fruits and vegetables at affordable prices.
As the Maldives is a country dependent on imports, prices of some items in the market rise due to changes in the global market and seasonal changes at various times. Sometimes, prices rising to unaffordable levels is a concern frequently expressed by the public. However, under this change introduced by the government, the prices of these items imported from the essential list will be stabilized. The President has stated that STO is a company established for business purposes and that it should not only import grain products. He said that it would be most beneficial for the citizens if STO also imports the most commonly used fruits and vegetables. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has also stated that this is not an intrusion into public trade.
