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Wednesday, August 1, 1973
RETAIL RICE PRICES "REASONABLE"
The retail prices of rice are "reasonable in the light of current
import and normal trade costs", the Director of Commerce and Industry, the
Hon. E.P. Ho said in Legislative Council today.
He said that on a Hong Kong-wide basis prices ranged from $1.10 to
$1.80 a catty, depending on the quality of rice offered.
Mr. Ho, who was replying to a question about rice prices from the
Hon. Hilton Cheong-leen, said that his department was continuing to make
randon checks every day on retail rice shops in all the main population
centres.
This was to ensure that price tags were displayed on the rice being
offered for sale and that prices were reasonable in terms of the quality
of the product.
"Only two complaints, both by telephone, were received by the
Commerce and Industry Department during June and July regarding retail rice
prices," Mr. Ho said.
In both cases, the callers alleged that specified retailers, one
on each side of the harbour, were demanding over $2 a catty for rice.
Investigations by inspectors subsequently found that the retailers were
not displaying price tags, but the retailers denied that they demanded the
prices alleged.
Mr. Ho said they were asked to display price tags which they did
promptly. Unannounced visits have been made since and each time tags in the
$1.10 and $1.80 range have been displayed.
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