Mideast countries feel pinch of soaring food prices

CAIRO－Rising food prices and a worsening economic situation have forced many Middle Eastern families to limit their Ramadan budgets, resulting in lower meat purchases and other traditionally popular food.

During the holy fasting month of Ramadan, Muslims usually make various kinds of food for the fast-breaking meal, known as iftar.

This year, with the Russia-Ukraine conflict compounding the economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are fewer choices for many families in the Middle East.

Rana Itani, a 34-year-old divorcee from Beirut, said she could no longer afford the food that her two children are fond of due to Lebanon's ongoing economic woes.

"My parents provide me with food now. They either send it to me or my kids, and I go to their place," Itani, a secretary at a private company, told Xinhua News Agency.

"Prices have gone up tremendously… I cannot buy vegetables or fruits. This Ramadan is different," said Itani, adding that she has been trying to find a second job to earn more money.

Lebanon has been facing an unprecedented financial crisis amid a shortage of foreign currency reserves exacerbated by the pandemic and the 2020 Beirut port explosions that destroyed a big part of the capital city.

Increasing poverty rate

Last year, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia said the poverty rate in Lebanon was up to 74 percent, while the UN Children's Fund reported that 77 percent of households did not have enough money to buy food.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, which came at a time when economies worldwide are still grappling with the adverse effects of the pandemic, also poses a challenge to regional food security.

"Many countries rely on supplies from Ukraine and Russia for their food import needs, including numerous least developed countries and low-income food-deficit countries," said Boubaker Ben Belhassen, director of the trade and markets division at the Food and Agriculture Organization, in a recent interview.

Disruptions to Ukrainian and Russian grain and oilseed production and exports and restrictions on Russia's exports can significantly impact global food security, Belhassen said.

"FAO's simulations suggest that international food and feed prices could rise by 8 to 22 percent above the baseline levels, and the number of undernourished people could increase by 8-13 million people in 2022-23," he said.

In the Egyptian capital Cairo, the family of Mahmoud Ahmed, a 40-year-old security guard, has not eaten meat for almost a month.

"We are used to cooking meat, rice and other dishes on the first day of Ramadan, but we have not eaten meat since the beginning of the holy month," the father of four told Xinhua, blaming the rising prices.

To soothe the markets, governments in the region have enacted policies to counter soaring prices for necessities, including diversifying food imports, increasing food subsidies and lowering food taxes. Some countries have shored up their food stocks and reduced reliance on food imports.

Xinhua