Last Saturday, Yernur Zhautikbayev, Chairman of the Trade Committee, toured Astana's capital markets. Ahead of the holidays, he monitored prices and uncovered instances of unjustified markups.

For example, at one grocery store in the city market, buckwheat was listed for 500 tenge. This price immediately caught the Committee Chairman's attention. According to Yernur Zhautikbayev, the actual price of buckwheat could not possibly be 500 tenge. The store purchased the product for 275 tenge and sold it with an 82 percent markup. Given the maximum allowable markup of 15 percent for socially significant goods, the price of buckwheat in this store should not have exceeded 316 tenge.

The Committee Chairman instructed the Astana Department of Trade and Consumer Protection to conduct an investigation into this matter.

During his tour, Yernur Zhautikbayev visited the Sauran, Shankhay-Kok Bazar, Sharyn, Saryarka, Asem, Astanalyk, and Ulzhan markets, as well as the Keruen Zholy site, where the Sogym Fest meat fair is taking place. During meetings with market owners and importers supplying fruits and vegetables to the capital, the Committee Chairman emphasized the need to prevent unjustified price increases ahead of the holidays and to ensure direct supplies of meat products from farmers without intermediaries.

"The Ministry of Trade is working comprehensively to maintain price stability in the market ahead of the holidays. Not only retail chains but also markets are under strict control. We are working specifically with major importers. Thanks to this, prices for socially important food products remained stable in November." "In anticipation of the holidays, we will take measures to stabilize the prices of not only socially significant goods but also everyday products," emphasized Yernur Zhautikbayev, Chairman of the Trade Committee.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/1121191?lang=kk