Demand for Food Commodities Increased by 50% Amid Curfew

Alaa Al-Saqti, President of the Federation of Associations of Small and Medium Enterprises said on Saturday that since the beginning of the precautionary measures taken by the state to confront the coronavirus, including a curfew,  the market witnessed an increase in the demand for food commodities by more than 50%.

Al-Saqti attributed the increase in demand to the fear of consumers from a complete lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. Consumer's behavior shifted toward panic buying and stockpiling for goods, especially canned food, hygiene and sterile materials.

The president of the federation added that the rate of demand for these goods is expected to increase by 15-20% during the coming period, especially with the approaching of the holy month of Ramadan, which requires factories, especially those linked to these goods, to increase Its production capacity to meet the increase in consumption.

He pointed out  that the market is witnessing a decline in the demand for durable goods, which will be reflected by the sale on the decrease in sales and thus the decline in production.

Al-Saqti noted that factories are currently managing their operations to comply with the curfew decisions, especially with the exception of transporting goods from the ban, adding that factories work shift will be pided into two before and during the curfew period to comply with the market needs.