The State Trading Organisation (STO) has launched special Ramadan imports of essential food items, focusing on maintaining affordable prices during the holy month when food demand traditionally increases.

The main items imported by STO specifically for Ramadan include onions, eggs, and potatoes. The primary purpose of importing these items is to maintain reasonable prices during the fasting month. Since Ramadan is a season when food demand increases, STO aims to provide these essential items to citizens at appropriate prices.

A case of eggs is currently priced at MVR 320, while bags of potatoes and onions are both selling at MVR 310. Fresh lemons are available at MVR 145 per case (5 kilogrammes). Individual purchases are also available through STO People's Choice outlets, with eggs at MVR 2 each, potatoes at MVR 18 per kilogramme, onions at MVR 14 per kilogramme, and lemons at MVR 40 per kilogramme.

These essential items are available wholesale from the STO Wholesale Centre and STO Warehouse in the Industrial Village Zone, with individual purchases possible at all STO People's Choice locations.

STO has structured its Ramadan import strategy into four categories: essential foods (onions, eggs, potatoes, coconuts, dates), fresh produce (cucumber, ginger, lime, carrots, oranges, and various other fruits and vegetables), processed foods (Nestlé cream, cocoa powder, baked beans, canned milk), and cooking ingredients (sunflower oil, vegetable oil, basmati rice).

The organisation emphasised that prices will generally remain consistent across all regional outlets, with adjustments made only in exceptional circumstances based on specific regional market conditions.