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Sugar, vegetable oil, rice and even bottled water periodically disappear from supermarkets and grocery stores. When they do appear on the shelves, many people cannot afford to pay the staggering price for them.
TUNIS, Tunisia -- Tunisians have been hit with soaring food prices and shortages of basic staples in recent weeks, threatening to turn simmering discontent in the North African country -- the cradle of the Arab Spring protests -- into larger turmoil.
In Tunisia, everyday items like sugar, oil, and rice have become scarce or overpriced, triggering supermarket fights and protests across the country. The government blames hoarding and war in Ukraine, but experts say it’s a sign of a larger budget crisis.
"Faced with this price increase, Tunisia has become one of the first countries unable to pay for its purchases of raw materials. There is a lack of cereals, of energy. Producing countries sell to countries which they have confidence will pay,.." Moez Hdidane, economist
Tunisians face soaring food prices and shortages of basic staples, threatening to turn discontent in the North African country — the cradle of the Arab Spring protests — into larger turmoil.