High prices in Syria’s AANES areas after government restricts trade
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – The markets of the northeast Syria’s regions have witnessed a rise in the prices of vegetables and fruits following the closure of three crossings with the Autonomous Administration areas by the Syrian government forces.
Since last week, the checkpoints of the Syrian government have restricted the move of civilians and trade at three crossings linking its areas of control with the areas of Raqqa, Manbij and Tabqa.
Traders are now forced to import various vegetables and fruits from other areas, such as the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, at higher costs.
Ahmed Ma’o, one of the traders selling vegetables and fruits in Hasakah, said, “The closure of the crossings by the Syrian regime has pushed us to seek other places, such as the Kurdistan region of Iraq.”
“The closure of the crossings has greatly affected the markets, as the dealings were in the Syrian pound, while now we are buying materials in US dollars and Turkish lira,” he told North press.
Salman Barudo, co-chair of the Economic and Agricultural Board of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), had earlier told North Press that the Syrian government suddenly closed the crossings with the AANES areas, without any prior announcement, which negatively affected the residents of the region and led to an increase in the prices of goods, especially vegetables.
The markets are witnessing a weak move amid fluctuations in the prices linked to the exchange rate of the Syrian pound against the US dollar.
Ahmed al-Salem, a resident of Hasakah, complained about the high prices of vegetables in light of poor purchasing power of the population, and traders’ controlling prices and imposing large profits on their goods, as he described.