Inflation Impacts Traditional Items During Ramadan in Egypt

The holy month of Ramadan is a period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection observed by Muslims worldwide. It is a time of self-discipline, modesty, and fasting from dawn to dusk. One of the quintessential cultural symbols of Ramadan is the lantern, which helps to light up streets, houses, and shops. However, the price of Ramadan lanterns has skyrocketed this year as Egypt suffers from record-high inflation, with local manufacturers experiencing a drop in production due to a rise in the price of raw materials and other costs.

For many Egyptians, lanterns are an essential component of Ramadan, and their absence has added to the unfortunate impact of inflation as it becomes increasingly difficult for many to afford the traditional items that have long been associated with the holy month. The current economic situation has resulted in vendors selling modest spreads of lanterns compared to last year. The price of the materials needed to make Ramadan lanterns has risen by 50%, and the vice president of the Stationery and Toys Division at Cairo’s Chamber of Commerce expects that prices for consumers will rise by nearly 60% this season.

Wholesale stores in busy shopping districts show that the prices of lanterns range from 30 to 150 Egyptian pounds ($1-$5). Last year, a similar wholesale store sold lanterns for between 20 to 120 Egyptian pounds ($0.06 — $4). In the past year, cheaper lanterns were typically small, plastic, with no craftsmanship, and often included cheap sound chips playing Ramadan songs at the press of a button. The price of these cheaper lanterns has increased from 10 Egyptian pounds to 30. The more expensive lanterns with more intricate designs are selling in the market for up to 150 pounds ($5).

Mohamed Farag, the owner of a wholesale store in Al Mosky’s Jews’ Alley in central Cairo, sells Ramadan lanterns to other stores or vendors who buy them in bulk. According to him, the price for regular consumers will be higher than his rate. He explains the lack of imported models due to a shortage of foreign currency in Egyptian markets, as the government reduced imports amid the shortage. Despite the prices of lanterns sold at his shop, some of which are made in Egypt, he confides that imported models offer variety to consumers, some of which are pretty creative.

However, as prices for lanterns made by specialist artisans out of tin, copper, or brass decorated with Islamic patterns and coloured glass have also increased sharply, vendors fear that demand will be low this season. According to Mr Safa of Cairo’s Chamber of Commerce, local manufacturers made two million lanterns this year, compared with five million last year, based on concerns that demand would be low this season due to inflation.

The holy month of Ramadan is a time when family and friends gather, endless tables of food are prepared, and lanterns hang from every house and shop. In light of the current economic situation, the rise in prices, and the limited supply of lanterns, many Egyptians worry that this year’s Ramadan may not feel the same, and some shoppers in central Cairo seem uninterested in purchasing them. As business owners anticipate a surge in sales three weeks before Ramadan, many consumers are hoping that overall prices will decrease as inflation decreases in the future.