The report says that as Eid al-Adha approaches, meat markets in Lebanon appear burdened by the burdens of war and the economic crisis, after sacrifices turned from a usual religious and social ritual into a financial burden that exceeds the capacity of large segments of the Lebanese, in light of the rise in prices and the sharp decline in purchasing power.
The report monitored scenes of movement in butcher markets and sheep farms, where the suffering of citizens intersects with the repercussions of the Israeli aggression and the financial crisis that has been ongoing for years, amid fears of a dull Eid season in which many families will be absent from sacrifices.
The report notes that butchers continue their work despite the rise in livestock and meat prices, while the high prices are directly reflected in the volume of sales and people’s ability to buy their needs, especially with the decline in income and the rapid rise in the cost of living over the past months.
Butcher Abdul Qader Hamiyah says that the country is going through “very difficult” crises, explaining that the prices of meat and livestock have risen significantly, which has affected the buying and selling movement, despite the butchers’ attempts to take into account the living conditions of people and displaced people in their areas.
Hamiyah points out that the demand for sacrificial animals was more active in recent years, as reservations began weeks before Eid, but this year demand has clearly declined, due to economic pressures and unprecedented price increases.
According to the report, the impact of the crisis is not limited to butchers alone, but extends to citizens who are now facing daily fluctuations in food prices, amid an atmosphere of war and economic deterioration that doubles social anxiety and suffering in various Lebanese regions.
In this context, citizen Sobhia Rakan says that prices change on a daily basis, stressing that the holidays pass for the Lebanese in an atmosphere of “oppression and sadness,” while the poor and needy remain the group most affected by high prices and the deterioration of economic and living conditions in the country.
Likewise, Sobhiya says that the Lebanese are being surprised every day by new rises in prices, considering that the war and economic crisis have imposed a harsh reality that has led many to be content with patience and wait for a breakthrough that will ease the accumulated burdens on their daily lives.
In turn, citizen Umm Salem Damj confirms that the economic situation in Lebanon has become “unbearable,” noting that the high prices have affected various regions and social groups, with the rise in food prices and the decline in the ability to secure the basic needs of Lebanese families.
In light of the widespread displacement resulting from the war, the butcher Muhammad Ghazi Ramadan explains that the sales movement is still relatively ongoing due to the presence of displaced people in some areas, despite the economic hardship that has led many to reduce meat consumption and spending in general.
Ramadan points out that the demand for sacrifices still exists to varying degrees, but he expects sheep prices to rise during the Eid period as a result of increased demand, pointing out that the war and its repercussions may push prices to higher levels during the coming period.
Among the groups most affected by the crisis, pensioners stand out, whose purchasing power has declined significantly, after their salaries have become unable to cover basic needs in light of the ongoing and rising wave of high prices in Lebanese markets.
Citizen Bassem Al-Maoush says that he resorted to raising sheep after retirement to secure a source of income that would help him cope with the living conditions, explaining that the high prices are causing many customers to refrain from buying sacrificial animals this year.
Al-Maoush adds that the price of a kilo of lamb has reached about $7.25, which makes purchasing the sacrificial animal very difficult for many families, especially with the decline in income and the continuous rise in the various costs of daily life.
Al-Maoush believes that the turnout for sacrifices this year is lower than in previous years, explaining that many citizens have come to consider the sacrifice a financial burden that cannot be borne, in light of economic conditions that he described as “extremely stressful.”
