Soaring meat prices in al-Sulaymaniyah prompt consumer concerns

Shafaq News / As meat prices continue to rise in al-Sulaymaniyah markets, consumer demand for meat surges due to its integral role in various traditional Iraqi dishes. The cost of one kilogram of lamb and beef ranges from 20,000 to 23,000 dinars.

Asu Omar, a butcher at the al-Sulaymaniyah market, conveyed to Shafaq News Agency that the prices of red meat escalate day by day in the region due to several reasons. Firstly, the price hikes result from the increased costs from exporting countries. Secondly, the government imposes higher taxes and fees on sheep imports from neighboring nations.

Additionally, a major contributing factor is the restriction on animal movement between provinces, even from districts within the same province. These factors collectively have propelled the prices of red meat to elevated levels.

Amidst this surge, Omar observed that market activity has declined by as much as 40% since citizens are already grappling with the economic downturn caused by delayed salary disbursements and other issues.

Regarding the government's pricing regulations for butchers, Omar opined that the government is currently unable to set fixed prices for meat due to the fluctuating rates from day to day, leaving them powerless to control prices. He urged the government to reduce taxes and fees on imported animals and allow for free trade of animals between provinces.

Citizen Maryam Ali lamented the successive price increases in meat, a staple ingredient in most Iraqi cuisine. She expressed her inability to afford even one kilogram per week, citing both the rising cost and the delay in salary payments as contributing factors to their financial strain.