UAE says onion, tomato price rises temporary as supply increases

Abu Dhabi: Price increases in some food commodities, such as onions and tomatoes, over the past two days are temporary and limited, the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism said on Tuesday, March 10.

The Ministry said the price changes were a natural result of the ongoing regional crisis and confirmed that additional quantities of these products have already been supplied in abundant amounts to ensure stable availability in markets. On February 28, the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, resulting in a Middle East-wide fallout.

Officials also affirmed that essential goods available nationwide are sufficient and that consumers have access to multiple alternatives.

The Ministry has also said there is no cause for concern regarding the availability or prices of goods, and said markets are expected to return to normal price levels quickly as supply continues to increase.

The Ministry has intensified its monitoring of prices in local food markets since the beginning of Ramadan. Since the war broke out, the Ministry has implemented policies to control price rises among nine key commodities: cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, legumes, bread, and wheat.

Prices of these products cannot be increased without prior approval from the Ministry and the national committee formed for this purpose, it said.

Authorities said the UAE maintains a strategic stockpile of essential goods capable of covering market demand for up to six months.

The Ministry explained that this reserve is distributed across various regions of the country through a well-planned system designed to strengthen supply chains and enable a rapid response to market needs.

Officials also confirmed that shipping and supply movements are continuing normally through the country’s entry points, while supply chains remain efficient, ensuring goods continue to reach local markets without disruption.

The Ministry added that the UAE maintains a wide network of international partner markets that supply imported goods, allowing authorities to quickly source alternatives during crises or emergencies.

Since the beginning of the regional crisis, the Ministry said it has conducted approximately 7,105 inspection tours across markets in cooperation with local economic development departments.

These inspections detected 567 violations, most notably unjustified price increases. Authorities issued 449 warnings to traders, suppliers and points of sale, and imposed financial fines totalling Dh207,250.

The Ministry said monitoring campaigns will be intensified further in cooperation with economic development departments and other authorities to ensure market stability and protect consumers.

Officials also emphasised that consumers play an important role in monitoring prices by reporting violations through official channels, including the Ministry’s website, email and helpline.

Residents were also urged to follow responsible purchasing practices and avoid hoarding or excessive shopping to maintain price stability and ensure goods remain available to everyone.

The Ministry said it has intensified monitoring at points of sale across markets nationwide to ensure price stability and sufficient availability of goods, particularly as demand for essential consumer items increases.

Specialised inspection teams are conducting daily field checks in coordination with economic development departments across the country as part of a joint national monitoring team.

Authorities said this effort aims to prevent unjustified price increases and unsound commercial practices while ensuring compliance with consumer protection regulations.

The Ministry also highlighted that strict pricing policies apply to nine essential commodities — cooking oil, eggs, dairy products, rice, sugar, poultry, legumes, bread and wheat — whose prices cannot be increased without prior approval from the Ministry and the national committee responsible for regulating these products.

In an earlier interview with CNBC, the Minister had said the UAE is designed to withstand economic shocks.

He said, "These kind of hiccups that happens and the tensions that's happened on the geopolitical issues that we've seen in the past, doesn't really change a lot in the long term aspect.”

“We have a very continuous supply of goods through all ports, not just Jabal Ali. We have a very strong aspect of diversified locations of storage facilities. We have retailers that we have connected with yesterday and today. We have inspectors that went on to the market on the ground to make sure that the availability of food, and the pricing as well, is stable for the consumer. The important aspect is consumer behaviour.”