PRICES of items such as sugar, biscuits, ball point pens, toilet paper, candles, coffee, chalk, matches, mosquito coils, and orange juice will no longer be watched by the Prices and Incomes Board, but will be decided by wholesalers and retailers.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who holds the Trade and Investment portfolio, confirmed the removal of 146 items from the PIB price surveillance list.
He also announced the termination of PIB's intention notice to control an additional 24 items a few days before its expiry.
Other items included in the list are all paper products (stationery), sausages, sanitary protection products, soap, split peas (dhal), yoghurt, socks, footwear, furniture, Hindu Pooja packets, chalk, blackboard and pea flour.
According to the Counter Inflation Act, such an order could be made by the Finance Minister.
The act stated that at least 12 weeks written notice should be given to the Prices and Incomes Board of increases in ex-factory or wholesale prices of goods and services under price surveillance.
Fiji Chamber of Commerce president Swani Maharaj said the move was good because the market should be allowed to regulate itself.
"I have just had a meeting with my members who have assured me that the consumers need not worry," Mr Maharaj said.
"They have all said there would be price war because they would be competing with each other," he said.
"We are also thinking of consumers and we would like to thank the Consumer Council for doing a good job."
The Consumer Council said it had received calls from consumers who panicked thinking items under price control had been removed.
"The council would like to reassure the consumers those items under the fixed and percentage price control still remain. For example, basic food items such as flour, sharps, bread and biscuits (breakfast crackers) are still under price control also liquid and powdered milk, onions and potatoes which came under percentage mark up.
"All pharmaceutical items are still under price control."
Meanwhile, the council said it was happy with the decision to merge the PIB, Commerce Commission and Department of Fair trading because it be a consumer "one stop shop".
