Effects of the Central Bank’s decision to devalue "Lira" begin to appear in markets

The effects of the Syrian Central Bank’s decision to raise the exchange rate of the dollar against the Syrian pound by 200 pounds since last week began to appear in the markets, as most products, especially imported ones, witnessed an increase in their prices, at rates ranging between 10 to 15 percent.

The pro-regime Athr Press website quoted the Secretary of the Homs Chamber of Industry, industrialist Issam Tizini, as confirming that the reason for the rise in prices in the markets is due to the fact that the exchange rate is not fixed and unstable.

Tizini added that when there are production inputs at a certain price according to the dollar price, the outputs will be at a price parallel to the input price, and therefore industrialists are unable to commit to fixed prices, since exchange rates are volatile and variable.

The industrialist indicated that the Central Bank had the ability to stabilize the exchange rate during the past year, but its stabilization was with coarse tools, and not with purely economic tools, so in return for stabilizing the exchange rate there was an increase in commodity prices.

He also attributed this to the inability of the industrialists to obtain the dollar, to import its raw materials, and consequently they refrained from importing, and the quantities of goods in the market decreased, and this led to an increase in prices.

Regarding the proposals to improve the industrial reality, control prices and improve the rotation of the production wheel, the Secretary of the Homs Chamber of Industry said: “The most important proposal is to reconsider the monetary policy, and reduce the burdens on producers such as taxes, fees and licenses,” adding with the phrase: “Let him work, let him pass.”