Pasta and Soy Instead of Qeymeh and Zereshk Polo with Chicken; Inflation Hits Muharram Offerings

Inflation and the rising prices of essential goods have led to changes and diversification in the traditional offerings during Muharram, with pasta, soy, and fried potatoes replacing Zereshk Polo and Qeymeh. According to the website Eghtesad 24, in a typical scenario for one night and a thousand servings of Qeymeh in the year 1401, approximately 20 million tomans would have been required, which, considering the reported 40% inflation by the government, is expected to rise to 40 million tomans for one night in the year 1402. The report states that pasta, being the cheapest food option, has faced a minimum price increase of 400% over the past two years, with the price of a 700-gram package of pasta rising from 2,000 tomans to 24,000 tomans. Additionally, due to the increase in prices of various dairy products, especially milk, the preparation and distribution of rice milk and cocoa milk among the offerings have decreased, with homemade syrups becoming more common. On the other hand, an economic website reported that the price of each kilogram of stewing meat in Tehran ranges between 400,000 to 999,000 tomans, confirming that in some areas of Tehran, the price of stewing meat has reached 'the border of one million tomans.' According to Tejarat News, investigations show that the upward trend in red meat prices continues, and there seems to be no effort to address this issue. This economic media outlet emphasizes that reports indicate the clearance of a 200-ton shipment of frozen meat after a year of delay, which will no longer impact the market and is intended for use in heat-treated meat production units. The report highlights that the price of meat in some butcher shops in northern and southern Tehran is up to twice the price in other shops, and this discrepancy is not solely dependent on the geographical location of the shops. Field reports from this media indicate that the price of each kilogram of lamb stewing meat in one shop in the northern city is 999,000 tomans, while in a shop in the southeastern part of Tehran, it is about 800,000 tomans, and in some central city shops, it exceeds 400,000 tomans. The economic crisis in Iran has impacted the offerings during the month of Muharram.