Deputy Director of Domestic Trade and Consumer Protection in Damascus Mahmoud al-Khatib confirmed the rise in fruit and vegetable prices is due to a significant decrease in supply, after the closure of Jordan’s Nasib border crossing resulted in a complete reliance on local produce.
Al-Khatib told the pro-regime Tishreen newspaper that "tomato prices in the wholesale markets ranged from between 150 and 185 Syrian pounds (SYP) – depending on the product’s quality – while retail prices reached up to 225 pounds. The price of potatoes in wholesale markets ranged between 90 to 100 pounds, while the retail price reached 115 pounds. The price of peas and beans in the wholesale markets reached 70 pounds, while the retail price ranged between 90 to 100 pounds”.
The regime’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the government has decided to close the Nasib border crossing with Jordan until further notice.
The announcement failed to mention the Syrian opposition forces that seized the border crossing. Nasib was the last major regime-held border crossings with Jordan after losing al-Jumruk al-Qadim border crossing to opposition fighters in October 2014.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
