World Food Program: Food prices in war-torn Syria jumped by 107 % in the past year

Syria – A spokesperson for the World Food Program (WFP), Jessica Lawson, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that food prices in Syria had increased by 107 % in the past year due to the financial crisis in Lebanon and the coronavirus pandemic.

“Over the past year, the price of the WFP’s food has increased by 107 % across Syria, meaning that prices have increased 14 times more than before the crisis, which is the highest average ever recorded,” Lawson stated to AFP.

According to the United Nations, most Syrians are of limited income and a majority of the population can be considered below the poverty line.

Analysts attribute the acceleration of the economic collapse in Syria to the crisis in neighboring Lebanon. Syrian merchants deposit millions of dollars in Lebanese banks which have recently imposed severe restrictions on withdrawals.

The Syrian Pound has plummeted vs foreign currencies and an acute fuel crisis exists throughout the country, even in areas controlled by the forces of the government in Damascus.

The WFP also made clear that price increases vary from city to city. This price increase is a clear indication of the nearly collapsed Syrian economy due to the almost ten-years-long civil war.