A new rise in food prices in Sana'a

English - Monday 20 June 2022 الساعة 09:28 am
Sana'a, NewsYemen, private:

Food prices in Sanaa have risen to an unprecedented level in light of the continued levies imposed by the Houthi militia, the Iranian arm in Yemen, on merchants and citizens.

Local residents told (NewsYemen) that food prices witnessed a record increase, bringing the price of an egg to 100 riyals instead of 80 riyals.  A piece of frozen chicken was 3700 riyals instead of 3000 riyals, a piece of Durra jam was 550 riyals instead of 480 riyals, a packet of Triangle Al-Motafawiq cheese was 700 riyals instead of 650 riyals, and a grain of Five Star cream was 600 riyals instead of 520 riyals, while the price of the Brazilian sugar bag was 50  kilograms to 25000 thousand instead of 24800 riyals

Prices recorded a 30% increase in Yemeni markets for various items compared to the prices of last year 2021, and the price increase included foodstuffs such as flour, sugar, rice, oil, cheese and other consumables.

Merchants attributed the increase in prices as a result of the doubling of customs duties and illegal levies on them by the authority of the militias that are not recognized internationally, in addition to transportation costs, which prompted them to raise the prices of goods on citizens to compensate for their loss.

While the residents accuse the Houthis’ authority of participating with the merchants in raising prices, preserving their opportunistic interests, exploiting the citizens, and insisting on doubling their suffering and looting their money without taking into account their difficult living conditions since the start of the war about eight years ago.

The Yemeni market is characterized by the control of a number of traders who monopolize various food and consumer goods, the most important of which are flour, wheat and sugar. 70% of the market size is subject to a number of importers, most notably the Houthi businessman Yahya al-Habbari, who control their prices and quantities in local markets.

Citizens in Sanaa and Houthi-controlled areas suffer from harsh living conditions as a result of the Houthi militias confiscating salaries for the eighth year in a row, the lack of income sources and the expansion of unemployment as a result of the war that the Houthis made during their coup against power in 2014.