Facing the famine in Syria, national product

The national product is what abounds most in the Syrian markets, both in the shopping centers of the most affluent areas and in the popular souks, to counteract the sanctions imposed on this country and the famine after more than six years of war.

Damascus, Nov 18 (EFE) .- The national product is what abounds most in the Syrian markets, both in the shopping centers of the most affluent areas and in the popular souks, for counteract the economic sanctions imposed on this country and the famine after more than six years of war.

At midday, there are few clients in the Damasquino shopping center, located in the high class district of Kafr Susa, in Damascus, although the merchants assure that in the late afternoon the place will be filled with buyers.

The jewelries and shops of luxury items are mixed with cafeterias and restaurants, which at this time of day are overflowing.

Damasquino's investment director, Nuredín al Qayem, receives Efe in his office of the last floor of the impressive building.

After years of decline in consumption, "in 2017, we have seen an improvement in the markets because the Government has worked in the rehabilitation of the industrial areas of Aleppo and Damascus, which has helped the Syrian product reach the citizens, "says Al Qayem.

The investment director notes that the The priority of the authorities has been to increase the factories in the territory to increase national production, "more suited to the Syrian pocket".

However, he points out that they can also find imports but in a small percentage.

According to their own predictions, "the producers and traders look at 2018 as the year of the great explosion commercial. "

Al Qayem remembers that since the beginning of the war, consumption has been fluctuating.

" Between 2011 and 2013, there was a decrease in the movement in the Syrian markets as Regarding the clients due to the events in the country, he says. date, "began the recovery with the operations of the Army that liberated areas near the capital from the hands of terrorists, which has calmed the citizens, which has made the consumption, "says Al Qayem.

The advance of the Syrian Armed Forces and the absence of hostilities in the resumed areas has meant that the sale of merchandise has been carried out over the last few years. has recovered, according to the manager of Damasquino.

According to the latest official data from the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics, inflation reached 43.2% in 2015.

Al Qayem points out that the scarcity affects most of the products in general and that "the merchants have counteracted it with goods of less quality, but adequate to the market and the spending capacity of the Syrian citizen. "

In one of the halls of Damasquino, Hayat, 18, walks with his friends.

" We have come to give a commercial and maybe we go to a restaurant, "explains this young woman, who acknowledges that" everything is a little more expensive here than in the popular markets. "

However, do not rule out buying a bag if you find one that you like.

In another corner of Damascus, far from the district of Kafr Susa, pedestrians try to break through the stalls of the popular market of Al Sheikh Saad.

In this place, in the middle of the street, you can find everything from food to clothes and electronic devices, but for a lower price than the shopping centers.

the roar of traffic floods every part of Al Sheikh Saad.

Over there, he walks with his wife Mustafa, a retired and former public employee who complains that he barely makes ends meet with his wife. pension, whose amount he does not want to disclose, although his two children help him.

"Prices are high in general but if we look at the time that we live or what is happening (in the country ) it is normal for prices to go up, "he stresses.

For Mustafa, prices are still high, although they have been gradually decreasing in the last two years.

The pensioner regrets that the shortage is due to the economic sanctions against Syria, which the UN, the EU and the US have been applying for years against individuals and companies in the Arab country.