Cooking Gas to Cost More in RAK

RAS AL KHAIMAH — Residents in Ras Al Khaimah will have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy gas cylinders. According to the new price list issued on Monday by the RAK’s Department of Economic Development (DED), a standard gas cylinder has gone up from Dh85 to Dh90.

By Sebugwaawo Ismail

Published: Tue 8 Dec 2009, 10:27 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 9:27 AM

A 44kg cylinder is now being sold at Dh180 instead of Dh170 and the price of an 11kg cylinder has been fixed at Dh45. The new prices will be effective from today up to the month of January.

Ahmed Ali Al Buroush, who heads the Consumer Protection Department at DED, said the new prices which saw a significant increase in the prices of cooking gas have been fixed after the department held its monthly meeting with the key gas companies and distributors in the emirate.

He noted that the tremendous increase in the prices of gas cylinders has been due to the hike in international prices and that the department has got no control over this. “Gas prices are determined by free markets,” he added.

Al Buroush however said the department will continue to monitor gas prices on a monthly basis to ensure stability in prices of gas cylinders and to make sure that no further hikes are made as they are keen on protecting the consumers.

He urged the public to bear with the new prices and to ensure that they are not cheated by the gas distributors or dealers through selling them half-filled gas cylinders or expired ones. The significant increase in the prices of gas cylinders during the last three months has disappointed residents in Ras Al Khaimah who claimed that the latest hikes are unfair and are not affordable.

Mohammed Hussein, an Indian expatriate working for a private company in Nakheel area said it was unfair hiking the prices of gas cylinders in just three months. “This increase in cooking gas prices is unjustified. The authorities have to come up with necessary measures so as to keep the gas prices stable,” he said.

Hussein added that with his low salary it will be difficult for him to buy the gas cylinders at such increased prices.

Another resident Yunus Najeeb said he was shocked by the latest increase stressing that even the gas prices for November were high.

He noted that with his big family, they will have to depend more on fresh products like fruits and food that is prepared within just a few minutes so as minimise the use of gas.

This is the third consecutive time in just three months that gas prices have been increased in RAK. In October and November, the prices of a standard gas cylinder was increased by Dh3 and Dh7. The price of a 44kg cylinder was increased by Dh4 each month and the 11kg cylinder by Dh2. - — ismail@khaleejtimes.com