In Islamabad, Pakistan, Ayesha Khan, a mother of four, prioritized buying sugar while grocery shopping for her family this week.
Despite the government’s efforts to address the rising prices of sugar, Khan emphasized the necessity of purchasing a five-kilogram bag of sugar for her family during Ramadan.
While shopping in an Islamabad market popular among the middle class, Khan expressed her love for sugary tea and rooh afza, a rose-flavored beverage.
Although general inflation in Pakistan has decreased over the past year, the price of sugar has increased by nearly 22 percent, according to Pakistan’s Bureau of Statistics.
Despite the increase in sugar prices, many customers in Islamabad mentioned that the stability of prices for other essential commodities helped them manage their budgets.
During Ramadan, Mohammad Shehzad, 27, purchased jalebi, a South Asian dessert, highlighting that the overall expenditure was under control despite the slight increase in prices of various commodities during the holy month.
Wajid Mehmood, the manager of a dessert shop, mentioned that the rising sugar prices had affected profit margins but they had decided not to pass on the increased cost to customers during Ramadan.
Meanwhile, juice vendor Muhammad Zahid noted that his daily sugar consumption had decreased during Ramadan, impacting the price of his fruit juices at his roadside stall.
As sugar prices surged in Pakistan, the government vowed to prevent hoarding and ensure that prices did not exceed a certain limit per kilogram.
Despite the increase in sugar prices, grocery shop owners like Mohammad Rashid and Pervez Kiran indicated that sugar consumption was unlikely to be significantly affected due to its non-perishable nature and people’s love for sugary treats.
Penjualan harian kami berkisar antara 80 dan 100kg per hari, dan mereka tetap sama, apakah kami menjual gula seharga 150 rupee ($0.54) per kilogram atau 170 rupee ($0.61) per kilogram,” katanya kepada Al Jazeera melalui telepon.
Naila Ahmer, seorang ibu rumah tangga dari Karachi dan seorang ibu dari lima anak, setuju bahwa konsumsi gula untuk keluarganya tetap konstan meskipun fluktuasi harga.
Kembali ke Islamabad, Khan, yang berasal dari Charsadda di provinsi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bagian barat laut, menjelaskan bagaimana obsesi keluarganya terhadap gula meningkat selama Ramadan.