Prices of Saudi food, construction materials fell in June

Prices of 51 food products in Saudi Arabia registered a year-on-year (YoY) fall in June, while prices of 30 other commodities rose, official data issued by the Saudi General Authority for Statistics showed.

Saudi green beans saw the biggest drop of 21 percent YoY, while prices of soft drinks jumped the most— by 48 percent.

Prices of feedstock and animals also declined during June.

The prices of six non-food commodities increased, with Marlboro cigarettes rose the most—by 100 percent. Last month, Saudi Arabia started implementing the selective tax on tobacco products by 100 percent.

Eight daily household products saw prices drop. Fairy soap, for example, fell by 2 percent.

Elsewhere, prices of most construction materials slid. Price of sand and gravel mixture saw the biggest decline of 19 percent, while prices of steel cables dropped the most by 20 percent.

Demand for construction materials has fallen in the kingdom as the sector continued to face an ongoing slowdown due to tighter government spending amid slumping oil prices.