Ramadan lanterns, a quintessential symbol of the holy month, have shot up in price this season as Egypt is hit with record-high inflation.
Vendors in Cairo’s commercial districts have laid out much more modest spreads of lanterns than they did last year amid a marked drop in local manufacturing brought on by a rise in the price of raw materials and other costs.
The price of the materials needed to make Ramadan lanterns has gone up by 50 per cent, Barakat Safa, vice president of the Stationery and Toys Division at Cairo’s Chamber of Commerce, told a local news outlet on Wednesday.
He said he expected prices for consumers to rise by about 60 per cent this season.
Already the prices of lanterns available at a wholesale store in Al Mosky’s Jews’ Alley — a crowded shopping district in central Cairo popular among lower-income Egyptians — ranged between 30 and 150 Egyptian pounds ($1 — $5).
The owner, Mohamed Farag, said prices are higher than they were last year, when he sold them for between 20 and 120 Egyptian pounds ($0.06 — $4).
Cheaper lanterns are typically small, plastic and do not include too much craftsmanship. They often come with cheap sound chips that play Ramadan songs at the press of a button. Such lanterns could be bought for under 10 Egyptian pounds from certain street vendors last year, but today, they cost 30 pounds at Mr Farag’s store.
“I am a wholesaler, so most of my customers are other stores or vendors who buy them in bulk, which means that the price for regular consumers will most likely be around 10 or 20 pounds higher than mine,” he explains.
The larger, more expensive models with more elaborate designs and complex mechanisms that enable them to move around a small space or light up a room with dancing light displays are being sold in Mr Farag's shop for up to 150 pounds ($5).
I am not buying lanterns this year. We can barely afford food, let alone lanterns
Shopper in Al Mosky
“Most of the lanterns we have on display this year are made in Egypt. Our suppliers told us there is a shortage in the imported models,” Mr Farag told The National, “The quality is the same in the end, but imported models offer variety to consumers. Some of the designs are pretty creative.”
The government last year placed tight controls on imports amid a shortage of foreign currency in Egyptian markets that has made importers unable to clear their goods from ports.
Though the government did away with some of its import regulations at the start of the new year, it has been unable to clear the billions of dollars' worth of goods that remain in ports due to the continued shortage of foreign currency.
The most expensive lanterns available, which Mr Farag did not stock this year, are ones made by specialist artisans out of tin, copper or brass and decorated with Islamic patterns and coloured glass. They usually take a great deal of meticulous craftsmanship to make.
“I usually keep one or two in my store, but they are so expensive this year and I didn’t see any of my customers buying it,” Mr Farag explains. These types of lanterns cost about 3,000 Egyptian pounds ($100).
Mr Safa of Cairo’s Chamber of Commerce explained that the prices for these kinds of lanterns have also increased sharply because of a rise in the price of the metals used to make them.
While at the same time last year, vendors had begun to buy up modest wares from Mr Farag to sell in their own stores, he said that thus far, he has only sold individual lanterns to passers-by who want to treat their children to a cheap toy.
“It’s still early, mind you — we’re still more than a month away from Ramadan, so I am hoping that business will pick up in the coming weeks,” Mr Farag continued.
“My peak season each year is around three weeks before Ramadan, so we’ll see.”
Most shoppers in Al Mosky on Thursday did not seem interested in purchasing lanterns.
“I am not buying lanterns this year. We can barely afford food, let alone lanterns. I have been walking around here for an hour looking for shoes that I can afford for my son,” one shopper told The National.
Local manufacturers, fearing that demand would be low this season, only made two million lanterns, compared to five million last year, Mr Safa said.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
Kamindu Mendis bio
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Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
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- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
TOUR RESULTS AND FIXTURES
June 3: NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 Lions 13
June 7: Blues 22 Lions 16
June 10: Crusaders 3 Lions 12
June 13: Highlanders 23 Lions 22
June 17: Maori All Blacks 10 Lions 32
June 20: Chiefs 6 Lions 34
June 24: New Zealand 30 Lions 15
June 27: Hurricanes 31 Lions 31
July 1: New Zealand 21 Lions 24
July 8: New Zealand v Lions
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
