JEDDAH: The spiraling price of rice has prompted families to reduce their consumption of the grain and change their eating habits in Ramadan.
“We haven’t seen a rise in the demand for rice as we experienced in the past. This has been the case even during Ramadan,” said Ali Bahadi, a rice trader in Jeddah. “On the other hand, demand has fallen by around 30 percent compared to previous years.”
Bahadi believes the rise in the price of rice over the past couple of years has made Saudis reduce their dependence on the grain. “Prices have almost doubled for all varieties of the rice. Most people now look for alternatives. The price of a 45 kg bag of Basmati rice is between SR250 and SR320. Normally, the price is around SR160,” he added.
“The high price of rice has made it unaffordable to many,” said Faleh Al-Yami, a Saudi buyer. “We used to eat the best quality of rice in past Ramadans, but this year I will have to buy a cheaper variety or stop eating rice at all.”
Kamal Al-Matrafi, another Saudi customer, said, “This year, I have bought a very small amount of rice. In the past, we used to eat plenty of rice. The rising prices have influenced our eating habits.”
On the other hand, Abdul Kareem Al-Nasir, another citizen, said the high price of rice would help people learn to be economic and stop wasting food. “Some people buy and cook rice more than they eat just to show off,” he said.
