Abu Dhabi authorities vowed yesterday to tighten their grip on key shopping outlets during Ramadan to ensure compliance with stable food prices following a surge of more than 12 per cent in July.

[in Emirates Business 24/7 ]

(Arabic) Food, beverage, tobacco and rental costs boosted inflation in Oman.

[in Al-Arabiya ]

In Kuwait, as globally, basic commodity prices have increased sharply over the past few months, prompting numerous complaints from disgruntled consumers.

[in Kuwait Times ]

Iran and Ecuador signed a memorandum of understanding on agricultural cooperation. Minister of Agricultural Jihad Mohammad Reza Eskandari and his Ecuadorian counterpart Walter Poveda Ricaurte signed the MoU in Tehran.

[in Iran Daily ]

Sudan is seeking to attract at least $1bn of capital for its agricultural sector from Arab and Asian investment groups, which are turning to Africa in search of new food supplies as their governments try to manage the impact of commodity price inflation.

[in Financial Times ]

The director of the roads and bridges department in Karbala said that an agricultural road in north of Karbala was referred to a local company for implementation.

[in Aswat Aliraq ]

The state-run Grain Board of Iraq bought 700,000 metric tons of U.S., Australian and Canadian wheat at prices ranging between $500 a ton, free on board, to $670/ton, cost and freight, for delivery in April and May, traders close to the board said Thursday.

Kenya is to import at least 52,000 metric tons of wheat flour from Egypt and Mauritius within an agreement with the regional trade bloc, a wheat trader and grower said.

Traders importing food for local consumption in Dubai or re-export must comply with new regulations issued by the municipality.

Amid the searing desert heat, the Dubai Flower Centre (DFC) is an oasis of air-conditioned calm -- the perfect environment for the thousands of brightly coloured blooms that line its shelves.