‘The wealthy poor’: Soaring food prices hurt Iranian families

Tehran, Iran – On Fadaeiyan-e Islam Street in the south of the Iranian capital, Tehran, a woman in her 50s stands contemplating a bag of rice, looking closely at its price before turning away with a sigh.

“Inflation has taken a toll on our family’s income for decades, but this year it is almost wiping out our dining table,” she says. “The prices of all goods have doubled.”

This is a familiar scene these days across Iran, a country suffering from a naval blockade, two successive wars and a collapse in the value of the national currency.

According to the latest data from the Statistical Centre of Iran, food inflation rose by 128 percent in the month of Tir in the Iranian calendar (June 21 to July 20) compared with last year.

The price hikes have turned going to the market into an agonising experience for many Iranians, especially since the inflation index for eight of the 10 main food groups has exceeded the 100 percent barrier.

“A year ago, I used to buy the monthly household needs with my entire salary. Today, my salary amount, even with its annual increase, is not enough to cover just the food for our table,” said a woman, who identified herself as Sheila.

“Food prices have doubled several times over, and I no longer know what to cook. Every time I leave the market, I am carrying less than what I used to buy,” added the mother of three, who is about to retire from the Ministry of Education.

On the same street, home to middle-class households that once formed the backbone of the Iranian economy , Maziar, a 45-year-old man who works at a private company, was leaving one of the largest grocery stores holding some plastic bags.