The World Food Program (WFP) has monitored an increase in the prices of most basic goods, including food commodities in Libya, with significant variations between eastern cities, of the west and south of the country.
During the months of January and February, in particular, the largest increase in prices was recorded in the southern region, Fezzan.
According to a report published by the WFP, the weak performance of the Libyan dinar against the dollar on the parallel market will have an impact on the prices of goods and services available to the population and will lead to an erosion of purchasing power, especially for the low-income population.
The report highlighted a 3 percent increase in the prices of a basket of basic necessities last February, bringing the overall cost to 792 dinars compared to January.
Among food products, there was an increase of 6 percent for eggs, 9 percent for beans, 4 percent for couscous and 17 percent for tomatoes.
The food basket, consisting of 18 items including chicken, flour, rice and sugar, recorded the highest cost increase in the southern region with 866 dinars, followed by the eastern region with 804 dinars.
While the western region reported the lowest cost, equal to 740 dinars, a decrease of 7 percent compared to the general average, the cost of the full basket, which also includes non-food items such as cooking fuel and soap, increased by 6 percent to 913.3 dinars last February compared to January.
The WFP also compared current prices with those of two years ago, highlighting a 14 percent increase in Libyan families’ monthly spending on food and basic necessities.
Additionally, the report noted a significant increase in grain prices since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, with increases of 90 percent for couscous, 25 percent for pasta and 2 percent for flour.
The report examined the Libyan Central Bank’s decision to impose a 27 percent fee on the dinar’s official exchange rate, warning that this could generate inflation and worsen access to reasonably priced food. The dinar’s weakness could accentuate income inequality, with those on lower incomes struggling to maintain an adequate diet, the UN agency warns.