Head of Food Importers’ Syndicate , Hani Bohsali, explained to “Al-Markaziyah” that “there are no economic factors for the rise in the parallel dollar exchange rate from the rate of 27,000 to 30,000 Lebanese pounds, or about 10%, which is not a small percentage, rather, the reasons are political par excellence, given its rise of 3000 pounds, during three days. It is surprising that the price rose during the holidays, during which there is no market movement, and no major trading operations that prove the dollar’s price figures, and therefore its price can only decline with political news. From this point of view, if the political status remains bad, we will not see any decline in prices, and vice versa.”

Bohsali pointed out that “the price lists are calculated, at present, on an exchange rate ranging between 29,000 and 30,000 LL. Because this price has become realistic for merchants and they are forced to adopt it because it is the logical price to continue their activity.”

As for the movement of sales during the holidays, Bohsali points out that “it is too early to give any assessment, we knew from the merchants that consumption was very weak in general, but we do not have accurate and conclusive figures yet to compare with previous years, and any merchant who was able to achieve a sales percentage equal to the percentage of sales Last year, has already achieved something remarkable.”