In his two decades running DurDur Bakery and Grocery in Minneapolis, owner Nur Hadi Ahmed doesn’t remember a Ramadan like this.
The prices of milk, ghee, cheese and eggs are up. So is the cost of halal goat and lamb. He tries to limit what he passes on to his customers, but he says the increases are weighing on him and on families that are “already cash-strapped.”
“The product that we’re receiving from the wholesaler, it’s way more expensive than what we were receiving last Ramadan,” he said.
Ramadan is typically the busiest month for his businesses. Muslims fast during the day but “they eat during the night,” he said with a laugh. But this might be his worst Ramadan in 21 years.
Business owners and faith leaders say Minnesota Muslims are facing extra challenges as Ramadan arrives this year: Rising food prices make it more expensive to host iftars at the end of the day’s fast. And an abrupt change in federal immigration policy has led some to avoid mosques and other community gathering places.
Many Muslims said these challenges threaten the spirit of Ramadan and the traditions that make this season special.
Afrik Grocery manager Mohamed Elmi said he’s seen price spikes in goat and lamb — an important part of Ramadan meals.
“The price went from $3.99 a pound to $4.99,” he said of both ingredients. “Just that’s a huge difference for families already budgeting carefully for the month.”