BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Muslims in Brunei observed the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan on March 2.
During the month-long Ramadan, Brunei's government and private sector working hours are shortened, and the daily period of fasting begins at dawn and ends at sunset.
The Department of Economic Planning and Statistics (DEPS) under Brunei's Ministry of Finance and Economy has implemented a Seasonal Maximum Price Setting on seven categories of selected food items.
This initiative aims to maintain the affordability and accessibility of essential food items during the festive season.
The DEPS emphasized that the maximum price set is a ceiling price and not a suggested retail price. Retailers are encouraged to offer competitive prices that do not exceed the set ceiling, according to the local daily Borneo Bulletin.
In addition to the government's long-term price control measures on cooking oil, formulated powdered milk, rice, and sugar, the following essential food items will be subject to seasonal price control: whole chicken, chicken eggs, butter, margarine, ghee, flour, and condensed, evaporated and cream milk. ■
