Food prices in Syria increased by 107 percent in one year, against the backdrop of the financial crisis in Lebanon and the outbreak of the Coronavirus, according to a report issued by the World Food Program.
The rise in prices for most food and supplies come at a time when the largest group of Syrians is under the poverty line, according to the United Nations.
In this context, the spokeswoman of the World Food Program, Jessica Lawson, stated that during the past year, the price of the food basket approved by the World Food Program has increased by 107% throughout Syria, which means that prices have increased 14 times more than the pre-conflict rate and this is the highest record ever.
Lawson pointed out that "The two main factors behind the rise in food prices over the past 12 months are the Lebanese financial crisis and Covid-19."
Syrian merchants deposit millions of dollars in Lebanese banks, which imposed severe restrictions on withdrawals in light of an acute liquidity crisis.
Since 2019, economic crises have followed in Syria, with the lira reaching a record decline against the dollar, an acute fuel crisis, and high prices.
In addition, Lawson noted, that the (Covid -19) outbreak caused a panic that prompted people to buy in bulk in late March 2020, with many consumers apprehensive about the possibility of the stores being closed. Indicating that the price of the food basket approved by the food program, including bread, rice, lentils, sugar and vegetable oil, rose by 20 percent between March and April only, specifically due to the epidemic.
Source (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Edited)
