Fruit price fluctuations in Iran have intensified with a 50% increment observed this week, primarily influenced by the ongoing strike of truck drivers, which has disrupted the transport infrastructure nationwide.
Reporting from the Tabnak news agency highlights pronounced price escalations across various fruit categories. Newly harvested crops such as cherries, apricots, and white mulberries have entered markets with elevated prices. The cost of red and yellow apples has surged by an average of 40,000 tomans (approximately $0.49) per kilogram, reaching up to 100,000 tomans ($1.22) per kilogram. With the exchange rate placing one U.S. dollar at around 82,000 tomans, these changes present challenges against an average monthly salary benchmark of $200.
The commencement of the nationwide strike by truck drivers last month stems from longstanding sector grievances, previously manifesting in protests and discontent. The strike's impact was anticipated to induce logistical disruptions and a subsequent wave of increased prices, raising concerns over food security.
Government approaches have included deploying security forces, focusing on quelling the strikes rather than negotiating, with actions encompassing threats and detentions, resulting in the spread of strikes to 155 cities. From accounts by the Union of Truck Drivers and Transportation Organizations of Iran, at least 20 drivers have faced arrests.
Demands placed by the drivers focus on the desire for improved compensation, better working conditions, and the release of detained peers. Concurrently, insurance premiums are experiencing uplifts, moving from 2.4 million tomans ($29) to 3.3 million tomans ($40), with newer drivers bearing even greater financial burdens.
Source: IranWire
