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INTRODUCTION
To facilitate humanitarian cash programming, the Northwest of Syria Cash Working Group (NWS CWG), in collaboration with local and international NGOs, carries out a monthly Joint Market Monitoring Initiative in Northern Syria. This initiative assesses the availability and prices of basic commodities typically sold in markets and consumed by the average Syrian household. These include food, water, and non-food items such as fuel, shelter and clothing items.
Among these, 18 components (measured by 24 items) form the Survival Minimum Expenditure Basket (SMEB), which signifies the minimum culturally adjusted items necessary to sustain a household of six individuals for a month.
KEY FINDINGS
• Between March and April 2024, the regional median informal exchange rate in NWS increased by 3.7%, which continued to influence the prices of basic commodities, leading to noticeable cost increases.
• The prices of the SMEB food component generally increased across NWS between March and April 2024. In Aleppo, prices rose by more than 5%, while in Idleb governorate and most assessed areas in Northern Ar-Raqqa, there was an almost uniform increase of over 3%.
• Vendors continue to face significant challenges, with 45% reporting the most frequent issue to be price inflation. Additionally, 4% of vendors reported difficulties due to closed border crossings, and supply shortages due to lack of funds to restock.