Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ramadan traditions in Syria die with soaring food prices
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 08 - 06 - 2016

Syrians across the war-torn country are suffering all 12 months of the year, whether it be the barrel bombs, explosions, or the scarce supply of food and aid. The holy month of Ramadan has arrived, and the people on the ground are voicing their concerns at the vast price hikes on even the basics such as fruit, vegetables, and other products.
During war, grocery prices tend to sky rocket. This combined with the inevitable widespread job losses and decreased incomes, leaves Syrians suffering even more this month.
Five years ago, families in Damascus would fill their tables with an array of flavorsome dishes of rich traditional Middle Eastern food.
These communities are known for their warm hospitality and Ramadan iftars – the breaking of the fast at sunset — where they present soup, multiple salads, several meat dishes, various types of fruits and deserts, such as Syrian pies filled with cream and rose water known as atayef.
A clip posted by the Facebook pro-government page ‘The Diary of a Mortar Shell in Damascus', and cited by the BBC, previewed the market places in Damascus. It received 224,000 views, and over 300 comments, with many expressing anger and shock over what they called "unrealistic prices".
One comment read: "The performance of the government is embarrassing, the dollar is about to reach 1,000 SYP and the prices in Damascus are sky rocketing, everything is so expensive, and salaries remains the same. To top it off, the government does not even feel for us or care, as if none of this is happening. Any government that does not feel and worry for its people is a failed and corrupt government that should stepdown."
This is one view of many similar comments expressing the same outrage.
While some said: "Even with the expensive produce, Damascus remains the most beautiful city in the world. God protect our President Bashar Al-Assad."
One woman inside Damascus who spoke to Al Arabiya English on the condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said a kg of lemon had increased in price by more than 600 percent from just seven cents before the war to close to $5.
"A family used to be able to live with about $70 a month, now you need at least $1,000," she complained.
The young women said that traders are even resorting to watering down the yoghurt-based dish Laban.
She said: "We can no longer afford red meat, so we have been eating chicken and vegetable dishes for the past 5 years."
"I could say that almost all the Syrians who have remained in Syria rely on family members outside of the country for financial support," she added.
She said that relatives in rebel- held areas told her prices were three times cheaper than regime-held than regime held areas.
She told Al Arabiya English that business owners and traders were "taking advantage" of the war to higher their prices to make more profit.
"Businessmen and traders that are bumping up their prices, are using the excuse that the dollar is going up and that they are buying their products for a higher price. But we all know these are just excuses to cheat us," she said.
She also blamed the government for not providing trade inspectors to monitor the markets and prices.
The stressed woman added that part of the reason for the expensive prices, was the fact that most of the produce used to come from the suburbs and countryside of Damascus, which is now under rebel-held areas, so the government is forced to import from outside.
Dr. Salma Al-Nasr, a dentist residing in Damascus told Al Arabiya English that Ramadan before the war is "incomparable" to Ramadan post war.
She said that although prices are always expensive in Ramadan – even before the war – but then the poor was still able to have a proper meal, since the Syrian lira was stronger then.
Choice is luxury
Choice is a luxury; these families are lucky in comparison to the families in besieged Syria who are starving to death.
Khaled Issa, a photojournalist based in the rebel-held town of Kafranbel, in the province of Idleb told Al Arabiya English that prices have always been more expensive in Ramadan, depending on the dollar.
The photojournalist said that people who don't have high salaries don't eat meat, which he said costs about $18 a kg.
A father of four, Hamoud Jneid, who also resides in Kafranbel said, people are depriving themselves during Ramadan, they just want the basics in order to survive.
He said: "I make a $100 a month. My wife and I have been saving up for the past six months, so we can buy our children their favorite food to break their fast with."
He said the average person makes about $50-100 a month.
He also mentioned that prices don't go up "tremendously".
The father-of-four said almost everyone in the town relies on one another during tough times.
"We all try to help each other, that is what Ramadan is all about," he added.


Clic here to read the story from its source.