The prices of staple foods, dairies and meat either remained steady or dropped in April, the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets said.

Larger fluctuations were observed with the prices of fruit and vegetables.

Prices of sugar, beans, rice, cooking oil and yellow cheese marked a slight drop of 0.5-1.5 per cent. Sausages and fish dropped by 2-3 per cent. Prices of rice, meat products and fish were higher compared to the like period of last year while the ones of cooking oil, flour, sugar and dairies marked a drop year-on-year.

Hothouse vegetables increased compared to March: cabbage by 30 per cent, tomatoes, 12 per cent, garlic, bananas and oranges, 4-8 per cent.

Compared to 2008, the price of vegetables marked a decrease. Apples, lemons, garlic and cabbage lost 35-45 per cent, oranges, about 16 per cent.