Damascus- With the approaching entry of Ramadan 2025, the economic crisis is the joy of the Syrians with the fall of the ousted president, Bashar al -Assad. For years, the cost of food has become far exceeding the ability of the ordinary citizen, with salaries that are almost not sufficient for a few days.
Despite the descent of the prices of a number of food commodities, the entry of the holy month, which was an occasion to enhance social solidarity and enjoy full tables, is now a title of suffering and painful paradoxes.
The cost of the food basket exceeds income in stages
In the Syrian markets, prices have witnessed a remarkable decrease since the fall of the Assad regime, but the weak salaries of employees made some basic foodstuffs a long -standing luxury for many. One kilogram of sheep meat exceeded 150 thousand Syrian pounds (15.54 US dollars) -According to the exchange rate today, Wednesday, February 26, 2025 of 9,650 Syrian pounds per US dollar -while the price of a kilo of minced meat is 130 thousand pounds (13.47 US dollars), and the chicken, which is the cheapest alternative traditionally, is also costly, where the kilo is sold at 55 thousand pounds (5.69 dollars), while the price of a single chicken reaches 30 thousand pounds (3.1 US dollars).
As for the other basic materials, their prices have increased to levels that double the ability of the citizen to buy:
- rice: 10 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.03)/kilogram.
- Bulgur: 10 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.03)/kilogram.
- Sugar: 8 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 0.82)/kilogram.
- olive oil: 8 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 0.82)/L.
- Sheep ghee: 127 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 13.16) /kilogram.
- Cow ghee: 125 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 12.95) /kilogram.
- Vegetable ghee: 34 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 3.52) /kilogram.
- Tomatoes (tomatoes): 5 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 0.51)/kilogram.
- Option: 10 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.03)/kilogram.
- Zucchini: 14 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.45)/kilogram.
- Eggplant: 18 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.86)/kilogram.
- Clear liquid: 10 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 1.03)/box.
- Washing powder: 25 thousand Syrian pounds ($ 2.59)/kilogram.
The inability to secure the basics
Even the simplest house requirements have become an additional burden on families. Public transportation represents another nightmare for Syrian families, as the daily transportation costs of a family of 4 individuals reach 50 thousand pounds (5.18 US dollars).
As for those who own a car, the cost of gasoline and repairs reaches two million pounds per month ($ 207.25), which makes having a luxury car cannot be tolerated even for fixed income owners.
The employee’s salary is not enough for one week
The paradox is that the government employee’s salary does not exceed 30-35 dollars per month with incentives at the best case, which is enough for only a few days. With the expected government decision to raise salaries by 400%, bringing the upper limit to about 80-100 dollars, the gap remains vast between income and the costs of daily life.
The United Nations Development Program said on February 20 that 9 out of 10 people in Syria live in poverty, and that one out of every 4 unemployed, indicating that the poverty rate doubled almost 3 times from 33% before 2011 to 90% today.
The report added that 3 quarters of citizens depend on humanitarian aid and need to support development in the basic fields of health, education, income poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, water, sanitation, energy and housing.
The United Nations, the “extreme poverty line”, defines that it lives on less than $ 2.15 per person per day, according to the purchasing power standard for the year 2017.
In previous years, the streets of the Syrian cities were adorned with Ramadan Zain and the markets were crowded with shoppers in preparation for receiving the holy month. Today, these manifestations were afraid, and Ramadan has shifted from the month of the tables full of austerity and hunger. Families that were evaluating breakfast feasts are satisfied with the simplest foods, and others trying to benefit from charities that provide free meals for the fasting people.
“We were waiting for Ramadan to rejoice with our children, but now we calculate a thousand accounts for each meal, until the beans have become precious, and the rice and the oil have become a luxury.”
As for one of the sellers, he says, “We are fully aware of the suffering of the citizen, but there is no trick with the hand. We have to change the prices with every change in the exchange rate of the American dollar so that we do not lose in our trade.”
For his part, the food trader in the field of Al -Midan, Hassan Al -Rifai, says, “We cannot explain how the Syrian citizen adapts to the economic conditions except with divine blessing. For the large families in Damascus, each family has a Takfliya box through which the able -year -old who needs family members.
He adds, “With the integrity of the economic situation, it must be concerted for the family’s efforts so that those in need are not forced to ask or commit what God does not satisfy.”
He concludes, “The Syrian citizen lives on civil solidarity, whether from his relatives at home or expatriates abroad. We hope that God will improve the situation.
Hope for the future despite the challenges
Despite this harsh reality, there is still hope for the possibility of recovery, as the United Nations Development Program sees that the Syrian economy can regain its level within a decade if strong growth is achieved. Although current growth rates indicate that the economy will not return to its previous levels before 2080, achieving a rapid economic recovery may reduce this period to 10-15 years if appropriate development strategies are adopted.
Akham Steiner, director of the United Nations Development Program, said that Syria’s recovery cannot take place only through humanitarian aid, but also needs long investments in economic and social development, which will contribute to achieving sustainable stability.
As for the assistant director of the UN program Abdullah Al -Dardari, he stressed that the future of Syria depends on reforming governance and economic stability and rebuilding the infrastructure, stressing that these factors are able to reduce dependence on external aid and pave the way for a more prosperous future.
Despite all the challenges faced by the Syrians today, there are still chances of change. Their experience has proven that they enjoy high flexibility that make them able to overcome adversity.
It may need to recover for years, and the path may be difficult, but hope is still based on the day when the Syrians will return to live the month of Ramadan as they are used to, without fear of hunger or destitution, and with the belief that tomorrow will be better.
