Vegetables’ prices in Gaza strip go skyrocketing by siege, traders’ exploitation

MUSTAFA AL_DAHDOH /GAZA

This situation is a real problem due to the increasing siege imposed on Gaza Strip and increasing of the Palestinian division where had complicated the matters to the Palestinian citizen in Gaza. This follows the Israeli government's decision to close Karem Abo Salam crossing and set two days a week for the entry of goods.

Citizen whose name is Mohammed al-Sharif from Gaza city "I went out in the morning to shop and buy some vegetables and fruit for my six children, but I was shocked by the price. This is why I cannot buy all the household supplies, and with these high prices I cannot provide vegetables for my family. "

Al-Sharif complained of "the price of kilo tomatoes, which amounted to 5 shekels per kilo, in contrast, months ago the price did not exceed more than 2 shekels per kilo as well as fruits." He wondered, "Did fruit and vegetables have to rise all out of a sudden?

A citizen commented on a social networking site "The rise in prices of vegetables and fruits in a crazy and surprising way is not the planning of the poor farmer, but the traders are doing that." according to the Palestinian Information Center.

This is not the case with the honorable citizen, but the situation within the Palestinian society in Gaza Strip is under the siege that has been going on for 12 years and the high rate of unemployment and poverty within Gaza community, which makes things more difficult and life tougher for citizens. The decline of the economic system and the non-payment of salaries of PA employees in Gaza Strip.

Traders between exploitation and financial gain

For his part, trader Mohammed Abu Gemayzeh told Hawar news agency (ANHA) said, "the high prices and low prices of vegetables are dependent on a number of factors and causes, the most important of which are the exportation of many of the items that are an important pillar in the local market. Export operations coincide with the end of the agricultural season, which usually suffers deficiency in quantities produced, compared to other agriculture seasons

He pointed out that the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza Strip does not mind exporting vegetables to Jordan, the West Bank, Israel and Europe, which creates a shortage of quantities offered in the domestic market. Today, with the closure of the crossings, traders will have to pump quantities of vegetables in the market. However, there are not enough to fill the deficit and can be completed after at least three months with the start of a new agricultural season.

Trader Majid Mansour, owner markets, says, "The local market is in great need of quantities of vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes and lemon today, things will be complicated by the cost of vegetables and fruits. We will work seriously to fight importer traders because of the offer of local goods at a price lower than the price of their own to force them to reduce prices to suit the citizens.

In turn, the director general of marketing and crossings in the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza, Tahssen al-Saka said that the closure of the crossings will have a significant impact on the living capacity of citizens in Gaza Strip and the Ministry of Agriculture to adjust prices in order not to exploit the citizens, although we recognize it is a difficult step.

Al-Saka pointed out that the export process during the year 2018 has witnessed an increase in export movement where the export rates doubled to last year’s; 24,000 tons of agricultural products has been exported, noting that the fruits are imported from the Israeli side mainly and will be the process of closing the crossing a real crisis.

The economic analyst, International Financial Advisor Hassan Bakr, said that the price of goods is determined by the quantities displayed in the market and demand for goods, which makes the markets in recent months witness a rise in prices of vegetables and to decrease the quantities offered in the local market for two reasons: exporting vegetables in large quantities abroad the country and decline in production quantities in end of the agricultural season.

Commenting on the other reason, the seriousness of control of the major traders in the quantities displayed in local market, expressing his concern about what the Israeli government had done , which constitutes a total collapse of the economic system in Gaza, despite the promises of the US, which was calling for lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip

(T/S)

ANHA