Despite the promises made by Iranian regime officials that the prices of food will not increase during the month of Ramadan, the state-run ISNA news agency reported how people\u2019s food baskets are becoming smaller by the day.<\/p>\n
Fundamental food items purchased more during Ramadan, such as proteins and dairy product, are also seeing price hikes despite large supplies across the country. Prices of chicken, rice, dates, tea, watermelon and \u2026 are on the rise and this phenomenon, in general, is causing concerns among the public. There are reports that people are no longer purchasing these goods, considering the fact that they literally don\u2019t have the money.<\/p>\n
State-run Pars News website reported that \u201cincreasing food item prices prior to Ramadan,\u201d adding \u201cthe food market witnessed sudden prices skyrocketing, in some cases a 100% escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another state-run website by the name of Khorasan Razavi news agency writes, \u201cThe increasing price of the U.S. dollar with respect to the Iranian Rial has impacted the people\u2019s food purchasing power. With the dollar price increase, people\u2019s food baskets are becoming smaller and smaller.<\/p>\n
\u201cA store owner in Birjand says during the past few months even the price of salt, once one of the cheapest food items, has increased. Other items such as tomato paste, sugar and sugar cubes, cooking oil and rice, peas, tea, detergents and anything the people need have witnessed a price hike of at least 12 percent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year during Ramadan people\u2019s food baskets shrank by 61 percent. Such reports cited the Central Bank regarding unprecedented prices of food items even prior to Ramadan. Some sources described last year\u2019s Ramadan food basket as the smallest in Iran\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
Increasing food prices and the shrinking of people\u2019s food baskets are not limited to the month of Ramadan.<\/p>\n
In fact, people becoming poorer is a process that continues as an ongoing and permanent trend. State-run outlets are reporting people\u2019s food baskets have shrunk by 70 percent during the tenure of Iranian regime president\u00a0Hassan Rouhani.<\/p>\n
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