The rise in food prices and imported items is because freight cost has also gone up significantly - AG

Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says one of the big issues that people are talking about now is the rise in prices of food and imported items which is a fact.

Sayed-Khaiyum highlighted this during the budget consultations held in Nadi today.

He says one of the reasons why this is happening is the cost of freight has gone up significantly.

Sayed-Khaiyum says a container that used to cost $5,000 from Auckland now costs $15,000 so this means that if the container cost is now tripling, the cost will be passed on to the consumers.

He says with this being noted, it is the right time to do a National Minimum Wage Review.

Sayed-Khaiyum says when this is done, they have independent people to come and do the review as some people object to the minimum wage increase or by how much.