AMMAN — President of the Jordan Union of Restaurants
and Confectionery Proprietors (JURCP) Omar Al-Awwad said that restaurant prices
should be raised in view of the high prices of basic foodstuffs.
اضافة اعلان
Awwad stressed
that the
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply seeks to please the big traders
by fixing the price ceiling for vegetable oils at its highest price, adding that
the high foodstuff prices negatively affect restaurateurs.
Those affected
by the unchanged prices are the owners of restaurants that are exempt from
sales tax, he said, adding that restaurants that pay sales tax may charge the
prices as they deem appropriate.
If the prices of restaurants remain unchanged, they will incur even greater losses in light of the rise in the price of
all foodstuffs.
He added that
most restaurant owners incurred great losses during the pandemic, and losses
only increased with the increase in food prices, so “if the prices of
restaurants remain unchanged, they will incur even greater losses in light of
the rise in the price of all foodstuffs”.
Awwad said that
if the situation continues, “the
Social Security Corporation will face a
crisis, because many of the owners of these businesses will be forced to close
their shops, and thus unemployment will spread”.
Ministry of
Industry, Trade, and Supply Spokesperson Yanal Al-Barmawi said that the union
had submitted a request to the ministry to increase the prices of popular meals
sold at popular restaurants.
“The demand for
and cost of production of these meals were studied and discussed with the
union; the union understood that there was no justification for increasing
prices, and made proposals, including adding new items and sizes of some meals,
and this was done in coordination with the union,” Barmawi added.
He also affirmed
the ministry’s “keenness” to ease the burden on citizens and “take into account
the interests of all sectors”.
Amer Fahd, owner
of a popular restaurant, said that “not raising prices poses a great challenge
to us because of the rise in all food and service items. For example, 25 kilos
of chickpeas were JD11 and became JD25”.
“The oil price
increased in two stages; it was JD12 per 18 liters, it became JD24, and five
days ago it increased again, reaching JD34. The rise in prices has become a
challenge for restaurant owners and citizens alike,” he added.
Jordan News contacted the head of the
Amman Chamber of Commerce, Khalil Haj Tawfiq, but there was no response.
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