In recent times, the escalating cost of basic food items has cast a shadow over the lives of Iran’s populace, particularly impacting the low-income sectors. The price increases for essential goods have reached alarming levels:
- Oil: Up by 270%
- Sugar and Sweets: Up by 130%
- Dairy Products: Up by 160%
- Fish: Up by 140%
- Red Meat and Poultry: Up by 124%
- Bread and Cereals: Up by 114%
- Fruits and Dried Fruits: Up by 95%
Last winter, the state-run website Didban reported:
“The price of 100 grams of salt is 450,000 tomans! This means that one kilogram of salt costs 4.5 million tomans, which is more than half the monthly salary of an official worker. For example, the price of olive oil reached one million tomans last year!”
The situation remained critical until the regime’s missile attack on Israel, which caused prices to soar even further.
Price Hikes in the First Quarter of This Year
The first quarter of this year, according to the Persian calendar, has seen yet another increase in prices. Compared to the same period last year:
- Beans: Increased by 28-50%
- Pinto Beans: Up by 29%, now 107,000 tomans per kilo
- Red Beans: Up by 50%, now over 100,000 tomans per kilo
- Lentils: Increased by 35.4%, now 90,000 tomans per kilo
- Corn: Increased by 32.8%, now 85,000 tomans per kilo
- Red Meat: Inflation of 93%, making it unaffordable for almost 80% of the population
In summary, food and beverage inflation in the final months of last year exceeded 45%, surpassing the official inflation rate of the country.
Impact on Daily Life
The state-run daily Arman-e Emrooz highlighted the soaring prices of staple foods such as meat, noodles, rice, and dairy products, alongside 22 other food items. The per capita consumption of milk and dairy products in Iran has dropped to half of the global standards.
Entekhab, another state-run daily, reported significant price hikes:
- 180-gram Tuna Fish: Increased from 44,000 to 84,616 tomans
- Raisins: Increased from 115,000 to 217,000 tomans per kilo
- 450-gram Powdered Milk: Increased from 66,000 to 110,000 tomans
- Mushrooms: Increased from 75,000 to 123,000 tomans per kilo
Additionally, Bahar News noted the rise in sugar prices:
- Bulk Sugar: Increased from 28,500 to 42,500 tomans per kilo
- Packaged Sugar: Increased to 49,500 tomans per kilo
Underlying Causes
The root cause of these high prices lies in the regime’s approach to addressing the budget deficit by extracting more wealth from the people. This abnormal level of expense is not typical by any standard, indicating a severe economic mismanagement.
The persistent inflation and skyrocketing prices of basic necessities underscore the urgent need for economic reform and stability in Iran. Without addressing the underlying issues, the financial burden on the populace will continue to grow, further exacerbating the crisis.
