Many kinds of vegetables and meat have disappeared from the neighborhoods of eastern Aleppo after 27 days of siege imposed by the Syrian regime and its supporting militias.
Activist Omar Daboul reported to Iqtissad that vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers have completely disappeared from stalls in the city, while the price of produce like eggplant, parsley and mint have increased by more than six times their usual price.
Daboul mentioned that prices of clothes and children’s toys have sharply soared due to increases in the price of diesel, up to 20,000 Syrian pounds ($93) a barrel.
In a related context, Samer Qorabi, a member of the rebel council of Aleppo, told Iqtissad that people had started using wood for cooking and heating water for baths due to a lack of gas and other kinds of fuel.
Qorabi added that people have started to rely on legumes they received from earlier aid deliveries, adding that most food available in eastern Aleppo is restricted to bulgur and soups.
A source in the Syrian Red Crescent expressed his concern about the possible humanitarian crisis in Aleppo due to long-term hunger, confirming that the Red Crescent will not interfere in distributing any aid as the amount is not enough to cover people’s needs.
Mosaab al-Khalaf, a member of the local council, mentioned that the council had attempted to control prices of fuel. However, prices witnessed a sharp jump with a kilogram of sugar costing $2 and barrel of diesel reaching nearly $100.
“We have formed the higher committee for agriculture for implementing projects in cooperation with other organizations in some open areas in the city, but due to lack of seeds and fuel, its production (has) stayed low,” Khalaf added.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
