Popular Eid al-Fitr food becomes less affordable in Syria as economy deteriorates … reports Hummam Sheikh Ali from Damascus
In the past, when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, hundreds of Syrians would rush to the ancient souks in the capital Damascus to buy Eid sweets, following an old tradition to celebrate the end of the fasting month with a lot of local sweets.
However, the high prices of traditional Eid al-Fitr sweets this year have made them unaffordable for most Syrians, business owners have said.
Syria’s economy has deteriorated this year as a result of the prolonged conflict and the harsh economic sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies. Syrians’ purchasing power has further dwindled, making the sweets-selling business less profitable.
According to Misbah Kandah, a sweets chef, production is down this year compared to past years, when all sweets producers were mobilized in full force for three months prior to the Eid al-Fitr.
Because of the high prices of all the ingredients and the end product, the sweets producers now only work for three days before Eid to meet any possible demand for the sweets.
One kg of Maamoul, a butter cookie traditionally filled with dates or nuts, is sold at around 60,000 Syrian pounds (23.88 U.S. dollars), up from 600 in previous years, making it hardly affordable, according to Kandah. To lower the cost, more Syrians make such food at home, according to him.
Ali Ibrahim, another sweets maker, said Syrians have placed more emphasis on staple food instead of Eid sweets due to its high prices.
“We are in a difficult economic condition. Those who used to buy three or four kilograms can now barely afford one kilogram. Previously, Eid sweets were a top priority, but that is no longer the case,” he said.
Syria’s deteriorating economy has impacted more than just the food business. Fuel shortages and power outages have affected the country’s essential services, including health, education, as well as water and sanitation.
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Every month, food and gasoline prices rise, making the basic essentials out of reach for millions of Syrians. Food prices rose another 18 percent between February and March this year, according to the United Nations (UN).
The plight of Syrians has attracted attention from UN officials.
In a briefing to the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Syria on Tuesday, Joyce Msuya, assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator, said the situation of millions of Syrians has never been more dire since violence erupted in the country in 2011.
“For Syrians living through the 12th year of this crisis, the future looks bleak. As the economic and food security outlook worsens, the resources available for our emergency response are dwindling. We simply do not have the money needed,” said Msuya.
She feared “Syria is on the verge of becoming yet another forgotten crisis,” as the world is paying more attention to other conflicts.