Tunis, Septembre 3 — The high prices of some food products were the focus of a meeting between President Kais Saied and Minister of Trade and Export Development Samir Abid at Carthage Palace on Tuesday afternoon, according to a statement issued by the Presidency of the Republic.

A number of issues were discussed during the meeting, including the skyrocketing prices of poultry, which the statement said has become unprecedentedly expensive and is being offered for sale outside the usual channels, in addition to red meat, vegetables, cereals and other items.

"Some items suddenly appear in abundance in some areas and then quickly disappear in others, such as sugar, coffee and others," the statement said.

The President of the Republic recalled that the State has the right to price many items and has the duty to find quick solutions to this abnormal situation and to apply the law against speculation and monopoly, ordering the creation of strategic reserves in a number of items, including milk, especially at this time when production is declining.

He stressed the need for concerted efforts by all state bodies to confront monopolists, speculators and owners of so-called distribution channels who have opened other channels not for illegal profit but for criminal purposes, especially during this particular period, according to the statement.