Ramadan 2022 | Families in Idlib struggle to secure food for Iftar meal in light of unaffordable prices of essential products

With the beginning of Ramadan, prices of most of goods, foodstuffs and fuel have experienced a noticeable increase in Idlib markets, further burdening the province’s inhabitants, especially the displaced people. Idlib province, as well as across the entire Syrian geography, has witnessed dreadful living conditions, lack of job opportunities, low salaries and wages and almost-complete suspension of support provided by humanitarian organisations.

 

The new increase hit vegetables, fruit, meat, basic foodstuffs and fuel, including petrol, diesel and household gas. Since the beginning of Ramadan, the new prices have shocked the civilians who are attempting to secure food for the meal of Iftar (the meal with which Muslims end their daily fast at sunset during the holy month of Ramadan).

 

Several inhabitants in Idlib city and countryside reacted on social media to the rise of prices with the beginning of Ramadan, where some activists have confirmed that cost of an Iftar meal reaches 100 TL at a time when a daily wage in Idlib city and countryside approximates 25 TL. Social media activists also expressed their discontent over the indifferent of the “Salvation Government” to the civilians’ dire living conditions and its failure to control prices and put an end to monopolisation by merchants, especially since prices are different in shops of every single town.

 

Commenting on this situation, an activist known by his initials as A. A. living in the northern countryside of Idlib told SOHR “since the first hours of Ramadan, prices of basic products escalated greatly, which ignited a state of anger and discontent among the residents who have accused merchants of ‘exploiting the civilians’ need to foodstuffs during Ramadan in order to make larger profit.’ Civilians have also blamed the Salvation Government for the increase in prices, as it provides no support, as well as its poor surveillance of markets and merchants.”

 

The activist added, “the prices of most of basic products have increased by 15 to 30 percent. Before Ramadan, these products had already increased to levels unaffordable by the many of the residents and displaced people of that region. Civilians struggled to secure food for the Iftar meal in the past two days, after prices hiked further. Most of families, particularly displaced people in refugee camps, do not have meat or chicken for their Iftar, where these families depend only on vegetables and some other cheaper products. The average cost of a meat-free meal for a family of five reaches nearly 75 TL.”

 

Speaking to SOHR, a 45-year-old displaced civilian known as S. M. from the western countryside of Hama and living now in a refugee camp in Deir Hassan area in the northern countryside of Idlib said, “the new prices are unaffordable for me and my family of five. I need nearly 100 TL a day in order to be able to pay for food, fuel and other needed products. I decided to depend only to some relatively cheaper types of vegetables, like potato and rice, so that I can secure basic essentials during Ramadan. I rely on one of my sons who lives in Turkey for financial support, where he sends 90 USD a month. There is no reason behind this sudden rise of prices. Vegetables are available in markets, as there is local production of most types of vegetables and fruits, as well as the importation of other types. The major reason behind this increase in prices is the merchants’ dominance of the markets and exploiting the civilians’ urgent need of food, especially in Ramadan. In addition, the region’s market lacks strict surveillance. Many families have no source of income and they have struggled greatly during this month, in which Syrian people used to have a verity of dishes and snacks every day before the war.”

 

SOHR sources have reported a list of the new prices of some essential products on markets in Idlib city and countryside as follows:

 

• Lamb: 115 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Chicken meat: 35 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Tomato: 25 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Potato: 10 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Aubergine: 25 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Cucumber: 20 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Fava beans: 15 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Turkish courgette: 13 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Syrian courgette: 30 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Cabbage: 4 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Onion: 5 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Lemon: 6 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Carrot: 5 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Parsley: 8 TL per a bundle.

 

• Orange: 10 TL per a kilogram.

 

• Somali banana: 15 TL per a kilogram.

 

 

While the latest prices of fuel, set by “Watad Petroleum Company,” are as follows:

 

• Petrol: 17 TL per litre.

 

• Diesel: 14 TL per litre.

 

• Gas cylinder: 183 TL.

 

 

It is worth noting that the Turkish lira against the US dollar recorded 14.7 TL.

 

Idlib city and countryside in north-west region have experienced unprecedented living crisis due to mishandling of the region’s affairs by the holders of powers, Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the “Salvation Government,” as well as the imposition of taxes and levies on the commercial movement.