The Ministry of Commerce confirmed today, Tuesday, that addressing price increases in Iraqi markets requires tracking the stages of goods reaching the consumer, starting from import or local production to sales outlets, in order to identify the reasons for the increase and uncover illicit commercial practices. Mohammad Hanoon, an advisor to the Ministry of Commerce, stated in a statement received by the Fadyo News Agency that protecting citizens' purchasing power requires analyzing the real reasons for price changes, rather than merely monitoring the final prices of goods. He added that Iraqi markets experience disparities in the prices of certain materials between Baghdad, Basra, and Erbil, which necessitates studying the nature of each market and the levels of supply and demand, as well as transportation and preparation costs. Hanoon pointed out that fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate could affect the costs of some imported goods, but their impact is not equal across all products, which requires verification of the reasons for the increase before linking it to monetary changes. He emphasized the need to enhance monitoring and combat monopolies, withholding goods, and creating artificial scarcity through coordination between government institutions and regulatory and security bodies, as well as taking legal actions against violators. He assured that complaints from citizens represent an important source of economic and regulatory information, which can be utilized to identify the goods and areas experiencing unusual price increases. Hanoon concluded by affirming that market stability is part of the economic and food security system, noting that protecting consumers, encouraging fair competition, and revitalizing commercial activity are integrated goals that contribute to achieving prices that reflect actual costs, away from monopolies and exploitation.