Beirut is preoccupied with the fluctuations of the "black dollar," which has been tumultuous, having surpassed 6,000 Lebanese pounds recently, nearly touching 75,000 pounds before later retracting to around 72,500. These hour-to-hour changes have caused widespread disruptions in the markets and nearly triggered a crisis in the fuel sector, where prices have significantly risen (with the price of a fuel canister exceeding 1,300,000 pounds). This has also led to a new shockwave in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
It was not trivial that Lebanese people's concerns, amidst their ongoing suffering, were focused on the price of onions, which dominated social media and sparked rounds of black comedy reminiscent of "tragically funny" moments as its price soared to nearly 70,000 pounds per kilogram. This skyrocketing price coincided with the announcement from the "World Food Programme" that the price of a kilogram of onions in Lebanon has increased by 7,380% since October 2019. The organization warned that "the economic crisis, the devaluation of the currency, and the unprecedented rise in the prices of food and non-food items, have left two million people in need of assistance in Lebanon."
