The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

“Syrian Trade” offers “Ramadan food basket” at price of 80% of employees’ full monthly salary

The Syrian Trade Corporation of regime government has announced offering the launch of Ramadan food baskets in two sizes, where the large basket would cost 80,000 SYL  and the small basket. These prices are lower than the market value by a rate ranging between 30 to 40%.

 

A large food basket contains the following foodstuffs:

 

  • One kilogram of Indian rice.

 

  • Two kilograms of Portuguese rice.

 

  • Two kilograms of bulgur.

 

  • Two kilograms of flour.

 

  • Two kilograms of sugar.

 

  • A 650-gram jar of a tomato puree.

 

  • Two kilograms of dry beans.

 

  • A litre of olive oil.

 

  • A can of tuna.

 

  • A can of sardines.

 

  • A tea pack (600 grams).

 

  • Two kilograms of ghee.

 

 

A small food basket contains the following food items:

 

  • A kilogram of Indian rice.

 

  • A kilogram of Portuguese rice.

 

  • Two kilograms of bulgur.

 

  • Two kilograms of flour.

 

  • Two kilograms of sugar.

 

  • A tomato molasses jar (600 grams).

 

  • A can of beans (380 grams).

 

  • A litre of olive oil.

 

  • A can of tuna.

 

  • A can of sardines.

 

  • A tea pack of 100 bags.

 

  • Two bags of salt.

 

The Syrian Trade Corporation has posted on its official Facebook page that all its halls and outlets across Syrian provinces have been witnessing a large turnout of civilians to buy food baskets. It has also added that this measure aims to control prices and help civilians bear the costs of living. The Syrian Trade Corporation has affirmed that the food baskets will be available and provided at reduced prices in its branches in all Syrian provinces throughout Ramadan.

 

The prices of the Ramadan food baskets offered by the Syrian Trade Corporation have been widely criticised by civilians in areas controlled by regime forces and affiliated militias. Many civilians complained on social media of the high prices of the baskets, which are not commensurate with the income of the majority of civilians, particularly the workers and employees. Others also complained of the lack of some food items in the small baskets, such as “vegetable oil,” while some people expressed that they found difficulties in getting the baskets at the halls and outlets in many areas.

 

The new prices of the food baskets offered by the Syrian Trade Corporation are very high, unaffordable, and are above the purchasing power of the wider segment of civilians in areas controlled by the Syrian regime and its proxies.

 

The prices of food baskets this year show the noticeable increase in prices compared with that of last year and the reduction in the quantity of food baskets’ contents.

 

In 2021, the Syrian Trade Corporation offered similar food baskets at only 50,000 SYL with a greater quantity of food supplies. Each basket at that time contained the following:

 

  • Two kilograms of ghee.

 

  • Two kilograms of sugar.

 

  • One litre of vegetable oil.

 

  • Two cans of tuna.

 

  • A kilo of crushed lentils.

 

  • Two kilograms of lentil grains.

 

  • A bag of noodles (350 grams).

 

  • A packet of “Halawa” (400 grams).

 

  • A packet of tahini (400 grams).

 

  • A jar of jam (660 grams).

 

  • A one-kilogram jar of a tomato puree.

 

It is worth noting that the average salary of an employee in regime-controlled areas is nearly 100,000 Syrian pounds. Accordingly, the price of the recently-offered food basket is equal to 80 percent of an employee’s salary. In addition, these baskets do not contain meat or vegetables, which will further burden Syrian people who will suffer and face extreme challenges to secure the rest of supplies needed during Ramadan, including vegetables and bread, as well as transportation fees, medicines, clothing, and many other essentials and expenses of everyday life.

 

Since the onset of Ramadan, families living in areas controlled by the Syrian regime have had difficulty  securing the month’s requirements of vegetables and fruit due to the significant increase in prices of goods and foodstuffs.