SHAFAQNA- After a winter of economic nightmares, this Ramahdan promises to be the most difficult in years for Syrians, who now face a heightened financial crisis, rising prices and worsening energy shortages.
With the skyrocketing costs of groceries and goods, those fasting during the holy month are being forced to scale back their expenses, with large numbers earning barely enough income to sustain their families.
Ahmad has been selling Naem, a Ramadhan delicacy, for years. He makes the sweet bread himself, mixing water, flour and grape molasses, a concoction that proves popular every year with the public in Damascus. But business is flagging, and the prices of the ingredients he uses are at an all-time high.
“This holy month I’m usually working all the time, but business is not like it was in previous years, even with the war. Ramadhan never used to be like this; there would usually be some mercy in terms of prices… not any more,” he told Middle East Eye.
“Consumers are wary to spend, they have to budget because salaries are so low and expenses are high. Some people have even stopped eating meat because it’s so pricey, so this Ramadhan is going to be a struggle, a real struggle,” Ahmad sighs.
Source: middleeasteye