Published : 18-03-2022
The impact of price inflation has been greatest in places like Syria. Food and non-food prices have soared by 40%.
After more than a decade of conflict, Palestinian and Syrian families are now facing the country’s worst ever economic crisis. Rent, food, medicine and fuel are now out of reach for many families. Humanitarian needs across the country have never been higher.
UN data indicates that a record 14.6 million people in Syria are now in need of humanitarian assistance and nearly 7 million people are displaced – many have had to move more than once.
As the economic situation continues to deteriorate, its impact is acutely felt by everyone, not only the poorest or displaced families. The majority of families say they are eating less, cutting meals and going into debt to meet their basic needs.
A recent report by the UN World Food Programme has revealed that in February 2022, the national average price of a standard reference food basket1 increased by two percent since January 2022, reaching SYP 231,004. The national average food basket price was 34 percent higher than that of August 2021 (six months ago) and 71 percent higher compared to February 2021 (Figure 1). February marked the highest ever recorded monthly average reference food basket price since monitoring started in 2013, representing the sixth consecutive month with record levels for the national average reference food basket price.
Month-on-month (m-o-m), 10 governorates recorded an increasing average reference food basket price in February 2022. Idleb remains the governorate with the highest average food basket price at SYP 257,890, down one percent m-o-m while AlHasakeh remains the governorate reporting the lowest average price at SYP 210,643 up two percent m-o-m.
The highest m-o-m increase of six percent was reported in Rural Damascus, Damascus and Deir-ezZor, where the price of the basket reached SYP 233,501, SYP 231,541, and SYP 217,798, respectively. The lowest m-o-m increase (minus one percent) was reported in Idleb, Tartous, and Hama where the price of the basket reached SYP 257,890, SYP 251,138, and SYP 223,916, respectively. Lattakia’s average reference food basket price remained unchanged m-o-m at SYP 225,786.
Year-on-year (y-o-y), the price of the reference food basket has significantly increased across all 14 governorates. Dar’a recorded the highest increase (up 111 percent), while Idleb recorded the lowest increase (up 72 percent) - Chart 1.The protracted consequences of the Syria crisis, coupled with the socio-economic deterioration and the impacts of COVID-19, continue to pose grave humanitarian challenges to Palestine refugees.
Despite the overall reduction in hostilities, insecurity continues to affect the Palestine refugee community in Syria. This situation has not improved in 2022.
According to UNRWA estimates, around 40 per cent of the Palestine refugee population in Syria remain in protracted displacement.
The deteriorating Syrian economy and rising inflation is giving rise to a real threat of hunger. A drastic loss of purchasing power has increased fears amongst the population, including Palestine refugees, about their ability to meet their basic needs, in particular food.
An UNRWA survey found that 82 per cent of the refugees interviewed now live on less than US$ 1.9 a day and that 48 per cent of total household expenditure was spent on food, indicating severe distress within families.
The impact of price inflation has been greatest in places like Syria. Food and non-food prices have soared by 40%.
After more than a decade of conflict, Palestinian and Syrian families are now facing the country’s worst ever economic crisis. Rent, food, medicine and fuel are now out of reach for many families. Humanitarian needs across the country have never been higher.
UN data indicates that a record 14.6 million people in Syria are now in need of humanitarian assistance and nearly 7 million people are displaced – many have had to move more than once.
As the economic situation continues to deteriorate, its impact is acutely felt by everyone, not only the poorest or displaced families. The majority of families say they are eating less, cutting meals and going into debt to meet their basic needs.
A recent report by the UN World Food Programme has revealed that in February 2022, the national average price of a standard reference food basket1 increased by two percent since January 2022, reaching SYP 231,004. The national average food basket price was 34 percent higher than that of August 2021 (six months ago) and 71 percent higher compared to February 2021 (Figure 1). February marked the highest ever recorded monthly average reference food basket price since monitoring started in 2013, representing the sixth consecutive month with record levels for the national average reference food basket price.
Month-on-month (m-o-m), 10 governorates recorded an increasing average reference food basket price in February 2022. Idleb remains the governorate with the highest average food basket price at SYP 257,890, down one percent m-o-m while AlHasakeh remains the governorate reporting the lowest average price at SYP 210,643 up two percent m-o-m.
The highest m-o-m increase of six percent was reported in Rural Damascus, Damascus and Deir-ezZor, where the price of the basket reached SYP 233,501, SYP 231,541, and SYP 217,798, respectively. The lowest m-o-m increase (minus one percent) was reported in Idleb, Tartous, and Hama where the price of the basket reached SYP 257,890, SYP 251,138, and SYP 223,916, respectively. Lattakia’s average reference food basket price remained unchanged m-o-m at SYP 225,786.
Year-on-year (y-o-y), the price of the reference food basket has significantly increased across all 14 governorates. Dar’a recorded the highest increase (up 111 percent), while Idleb recorded the lowest increase (up 72 percent) - Chart 1.The protracted consequences of the Syria crisis, coupled with the socio-economic deterioration and the impacts of COVID-19, continue to pose grave humanitarian challenges to Palestine refugees.
Despite the overall reduction in hostilities, insecurity continues to affect the Palestine refugee community in Syria. This situation has not improved in 2022.
According to UNRWA estimates, around 40 per cent of the Palestine refugee population in Syria remain in protracted displacement.
The deteriorating Syrian economy and rising inflation is giving rise to a real threat of hunger. A drastic loss of purchasing power has increased fears amongst the population, including Palestine refugees, about their ability to meet their basic needs, in particular food.
An UNRWA survey found that 82 per cent of the refugees interviewed now live on less than US$ 1.9 a day and that 48 per cent of total household expenditure was spent on food, indicating severe distress within families.
