Iran: Inflation Hits Grocery Products

Iran’s consumers have been hit with a wave of rising prices that has now touched laundry detergent and food items such as cooking oil, rice, eggs and dairy products.

Iranian media report that in the past two weeks, food and other consumer products have risen in price by as much as 20 percent in some cases.

The price of vegetable oil has gone up by 15 to 20 percent, while cleaning detergent is at least 11 percent more expensive.

Even rice has gone up by at least seven or eight percent compared to a month ago.

The Mehr News Agency reports that the government had already approved the increase in the price of vegetable oil and detergent, but milk and dairy products have gone up without government approval.

The deputy head of the Organization for the Protection of Consumers and Producers says the rise in foreign-currency exchange rates is driving up prices for vegetable oil and detergents.

An earlier report by ISNA also indicated a 10-percent increase in the price of fruit and vegetables.