Lebanon sees no festive spirit amid crisis: report

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2023-04-11 | 04:49
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Lebanon sees no festive spirit amid crisis: report
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3min
Lebanon sees no festive spirit amid crisis: report

The decline of crowds in the streets of Beirut reflects the conditions of the Lebanese, who are wary of going to the supermarkets except to buy the necessary things, as the crisis appears clearly due to the coincidence of Muslim holidays with Christian holidays, a time where the demand must have been great. 

This article was originally published in, translated from Lebanese newspaper Asharq al-Awsat.  

Based on a report published by Asharq al-Awsat, the seasons of Ramadan and Easter this year come in light of a suffocating economic crisis and a considerable increase in prices that exceed the capabilities of the Lebanese, whose salaries have deteriorated with the US dollar exchange rate reaching about LBP 100,000, and the high costs of necessities, including food and sweets, in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy's decision to dollarize commodity prices.  

In the streets of Beirut, Ramadan decorations and Easter decorations have disappeared from the streets. This is an essential indication of the decisions to reduce spending, which includes merchants and official institutions, such as municipalities, down to individuals.   

According to Asharq Al-Awsat, it seems that the price indicators for sweets in Lebanon had recorded a significant increase, as most of them were priced in US dollars, including ma'amoul, which prices range between $10 and $15, depending on the name of the patisserie, its location, and the type of ma'amoul.  

Additionally, A kilogram of ma'amoul with pistachios reaches $17, and a kilogram of ma'amoul with walnuts amounts to about $13. In comparison, a kilogram of date ma'amoul amounts to about $11, an amount that is approximately 7 percent of the average monthly wages of public sector employees in Lebanon.   

As for Ramadan sweets, their price exceeds the purchasing power of citizens. The cost of a kilogram of sweets filled with cream (such as Othmaliyeh, Halawat al-Jibn, and Madluqa) ranges between $10 and $17, depending on the store. As for qatayef and buns, the price of a dozen ranges between $9 and $15. Some prices per kilogram of Ramadan sweets reach $20.  

A kilogram of chocolate costs about $30, but much lower prices can be found in supermarkets and small shops. From here, this year's movement seemed light compared to previous years, and people tended to prepare these Easter sweets at home and in small quantities.  

And while the deterioration of the purchasing power of the Lebanese contributed to reducing expenses, shortening celebrations, and changing their habits, solidarity among the Lebanese, on the other hand, contributed to alleviating the severity of the crisis, which enabled them to withstand, after obtaining the basics, Asharq al-Awsat reported.
 

Lebanon Economy

Press Highlights

Festive

Spirit

Beirut

Lebanon

Economic Crisis

Ramadan

Easter

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