Report (Debriefer) As the holy month of Ramadan set in, Yemeni markets saw upsurge in prices of foods and other basic commodities, amid persistent deterioration of economic situation and awful fall in individual income following seven years of grinding war.
According to economic reports, food prices increased this year by 250 percent in comparison with the same period of last year, as the inflation rate rose to nearly 70 percent.
The high upsurge in prices led to notable fall in shopping movement at many Yemeni markets in both government-held and Houthi-held provinces.
This fall can be attributed to the Yemenis' insufficient purchasing power, say observers, because of the general economic situation in a country racked by a 8-year-old war.
Many Yemenis have been forced to quit a large deal of consumer goods – although some of them used to make up essential part of Ramadan meals – and become content with the most needed foods only.
"The spiral surge in prices deeply curbed people's willingness to shop or buy much of their food needs," Abdul Raqeeb al-Wafi told Debriefer.
"I and my family had to dispense with some dishes formerly seen as indispensible foods Ramadan meals could not void of," he added, citing the "crazy increase in prices goods such as cooking oil."
Despite the overwhelming mess sparked by growingly volatile prices at foods and vegetable markets, the recession has disappointed even meat and fruit sellers, with people reluctant to purchase.
For most of the Yemeni families, many kinds of meats and fruits are now luxury too unaffordable to buy in the light of the ongoing conditions.
The last three months witnessed three-folded upsurge in food prices, yet most of the Yemenis' livings awfully worsened.
Millions of Yemenis do not have sufficient food in Ramadan, according to a report released on Tuesday by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.