Taiz Markets See Boom as Houban Shoppers Flow
(AWP) - Markets in the south-western Yemen city of Taiz are recovering as locals of al-Houban and areas under the control of the Houthi group as commodities and goods were available at lower prices.
Ahmed al-Hemeidi, who owns a store selling fabrics, said trade activities have been reinvigorating in the city since the blocked roads between al-Houban and Taiz were reopened last month.
“Customers flowed into Taiz for shopping, making the best use of the exchange rate differential. I have received a large number of shoppers,” he said.
Fouad Jammi comes to central Taiz on a daily basis to buy his needs on the market, where commodities are available at rates less than his original area of al-Houban after the road between the two cities were reopened following nine years of closure.
“After the blocked roads were open and we entered Taiz, we noticed that the prices of commodities in the city were much less compared to other areas. We obtained prices here in central Taiz much less than outside. Things became better than outside Taiz,” he indicated.
Abu Jayyad keeps was optimistically watching the crowded roads in Taiz, where he lives, and wished the resumed economic activities would help decrease currency exchange rates and prices of commodities are brought down.
“We are witnessing a great recovery on the markets after customers flowed in from al-Houban and the areas under the Houthis’ control. Prices went up thanks to a flurry of buying and selling activities in the city,” he said.
“The Saudi riyal and U.S. dollar exchange transactions have been on the rise, denoting a siege on the city. I think if the currency exchange rate becomes unified, it will decrease. If it decreases, there would be more demand,” he added.
However, the crowdedness that hit Taiz after years of stagnation due to the war and blockade sparked concerns by some citizens, including Abdel-Rahman al-Aghbari, who said the presence of a large number of people in the city caused some crises.
“The flow of Houban people into the city caused us several crises. First, they went on a shopping spree over consumer commodities, pushing their prices up. Second, they caused a crowd,” he complained.
Qassem Ibrahim, Director of Taiz Governorate’s Media & Public Relations Department, blamed the Houthi group for the price hike and citizens’ frail purchasing power in the areas under its control due to duties they levy on the people under several pretexts.
“The prices in the areas under Houthis’ control are high due to the extortion they are practicing under numerous religious terms. This has troubled merchants and consequently led to a price hike,” he explained.
“Moreover, the purchasing power is plummeting and the currency is scarce as the citizens in Houthi areas were unable to get money easily. This has brought about a recovery on the markets of the liberated Taiz city and a trade boom in all activities,” noted Ibrahim.