As presidential election approaches | Syrian pound keeps plummeting and congestion continues in front of bread bakeries

The Syrian pound has hit a new record low against foreign currency as follows:

 

• In Damascus: the selling rate is 3,630 SYP and the buying rate is 3,590 SYP against the dollar, while 4,383 SYP for selling and 4,329 SYP for buying against the euro.

 

• In Idlib and Aleppo countryside: the selling rate is 409 SYP and the buying rate is 484 SYP against Turkish lira.

 

On the other hand, the price of one gram of 21 carat gold has reached 177,000 SYP per gram in Damascus.

 

The new currency plunge coincides with the long lines in front of bread bakeries in all areas under the control of the Syrian regime, amid growing popular discontent over the dire living conditions in light of regime authorities failure to find workable solution for these chronic crises.

 

Yesterday, SOHR sources reported that the markets in Damascus were in recession due to the ongoing currency plunge and astronomically inflated prices. On the other hand, people in regime-held areas were struggling with dire living conditions for months due to the acute bread and fuel shortage and food unaffordable prices.

 

A few days earlier, SOHR sources reported a list of the new prices of essential products in regime-controlled areas as follows:

 

Meat

 

• Chicken: 4,700 SYL / $1.306 per kilo

 

• Grilled chicken: 12,000 SYL / $3.333 per kilo

 

• Broasted chicken: 14,000 SYL / $3.889 per kilo

 

• Veal: 16,000 SYL / $4.444 per kilo

 

• Lamb: 20,000 SYL / $5.556 per kilo

 

Food supplies

 

• Short rice: 2,700 SYL / $0.75 per kilo

 

• Long rice: 3,700 SYL /$1.058 per kilo

 

• Bulgur: 1,700 SYL / $0.472 per kilo

 

• Cooking oil: 7,000 SYL / $1.944 per litre

 

• Ghee: 8,000 SYL / $ 2.222 per kilo

 

• Eggs: 6,000 SYL / $1.667 per pack

 

• Semolina: 2,700 SYL / $0.75 per kilo

 

• Sugar: 2,200 SYL / $0.611 per kilo

 

Vegetables and fruit

 

• Potatoes: 800 SYL / $0.222 per kilo

 

• Cucumber: 1,300 SYL / $0.361 per kilo

 

• Lemon: 1,000 SYL / $0.278 per kilo

 

• Garlic: 11,000 SYL / $3.056 per kilo

 

• Pepper: 2,000 SYL / $0.556 per kilo

 

• Courgettes: 1,500 SYL / $0.417 per kilo

 

• Oranges: : 1,500 SYL / $0.417 per kilo

 

• Bananas: 2,000 SYL / $0.556 per kilo

 

• Strawberry: 3,500 SYL / $0.927 per kilo

 

• Broad beans: 2,500 SYL / $0.694 per kilo

 

• Apples: 1,300 SYL / $0.361 per kilo

 

Fuel

 

• Duty-free gas: 20,000 SYL / $5.556 per cylinder

 

• Duty-free petrol: 1,250 SYL / 0.347 per litre

 

• Duty-free oil: 1,250 SYL / 0.347 per litre

 

It is worth noting that the prices of these commodities always change because of the unstable exchange rate of the Syrian pound against foreign currency, as well as the lack of surveillance by regime authorities on markets and merchants.