People buy vegetables for Ramadan in Beirut, Lebanon, on Feb. 27, 2025. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)by Dana HalawiBEIRUT, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Like many Lebanese, Alissar Younes approaches this year's Ramadan meals with a modest shopping list. Scanning prices and choosing promotional brands has become routine for her grocery trips."A few years ago, when the U.S. dollar exchange rate was 1,500 Lebanese pounds, I could fill my cart without thinking twice about prices. But today, I have to reconsider every item I buy," said Younes.She earns 450 dollars monthly as a saleswoman, and one dollar currently exchanges for approximately around 89,500 pounds."I've reduced the amount of meat in my meals or replaced it with cheaper chicken," Alissar said. "We also can't afford Fattoush every day because vegetable prices have more than doubled in some cases."Fattoush, a must-have salad for Ramadan or family gatherings, mixes chopped vegetables tossed with crispy pieces of toasted or fried pita bread.A study by International Information, a Lebanese research firm, used the cost of a single plate of Fattoush as an indicator of living costs. The price has skyrocketed from 4,250 pounds in 2020 to 285,540 pounds in 2025, a staggering 6,618 percent increase.People shop for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a market in Masnaa, Lebanon, on March 2, 2025. (Photo by Taher Abu Hamdan/Xinhua)According to Antoine Howayek, head of the Lebanese Farmers' Association, food prices typically rise during Ramadan due to increased demand. However, this year's surge is particularly severe.Howayek noted a remarkable increase in vegetable prices, saying that a box of purslane, for instance, cost 400,000 pounds before Ramadan, but it jumped to 2.5 million pounds during the holy month. Similarly, a box of parsley costing 800,000 pounds before Ramadan is now sold at 1.5 million pounds, Howayek said, noting that prices of cucumber and tomatoes also rose remarkably."Winter conditions make it harder for farmers to harvest crops, and Lebanon increasingly relies on imports from Syria and Jordan, which offer lower prices and compete with local production," Howayek explained.A man buys meat to prepare for Ramadan in Beirut, Lebanon, on Feb. 27, 2025. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)Lebanon's prolonged economic downturn has led to severe currency devaluation and wage erosion, driving many into poverty and forcing them to prioritize necessities.The Hezbollah-Israel conflict also profoundly impacted Lebanon's economy, shifting consumer behavior. Adnan Rammal from Lebanon's Economic and Social Council said spending has dropped sharply, particularly in conflict-affected regions such as southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley."People who fled the war had to spend their savings on rent instead of food or their children's education," Rammal said. "Even now, fear of another war is pushing many to limit their expenses to essentials."Finance expert Mahassen Moursel estimated that food prices have risen 8-15 percent since the Hezbollah-Israel conflict, and they continue to climb during Ramadan."Prices always increase during Ramadan due to higher demand, but this year, the lack of government price controls and merchant greed have worsened the situation," Moursel said, noting that food prices have risen 65-fold since 2018.