Kodak Agfa Presents : A Defiant Cairo's Ramadan Market in time of economic Crisis "P.1"

The market was totally packed two weeks ago 

When I went to the popular market located behind the famous El-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque and Shrine on the crowded El-Saad Street, I imagined I would see the impact of the economic crisis in action but I was totally wrong.

People, mostly families led by women came to buy Ramadan decorations and lanterns 

If any foreigner walked in that street and saw how crowded it was last week, he or she would think that Egypt does not suffer from one of its worst economic crises but looks can be deceivable.

Also just as the vibes of Ramadan are quieter in Cairo, at least from my point of view.

It is living and kicking in El-Seyada Zeinab.

The market's stands were on both sides of the long street 

You can feel the true Ramadan vibes here.

Last week, I felt as if the people themselves wanted to celebrate the Holy month regardless of the economic crisis and its heavy impact in their own way.

Customers and lanterns from every type and color 

I have not seen the El-Sayeda Ramadan market packed with so many vendors since the Coronavirus pandemic.

Yes, it began to catch up with its old glory last year but this year despite the hard economic crisis it is really back in action.

Whether dolls or lanterns people were looking for Ramadan decorations 
in affordable prices 

For those who do not know El-Sayeda Zeinab is considered the centre of manufacturing handmade of Egyptian traditional Ramadan lanterns for hundreds of years.

The price of the lanterns has doubled compared to last year’s prices as the materials used to produce the lanterns themselves increased in cost. 

The Egyptian traditional glass tin lanterns still top the throne of lanterns 

It is worth mentioning that the Central Bank of Egypt announced a couple of weeks ago that the annual core inflation soared in February to reach 40.3%. 

The prices for children’s plastic lanterns range between LE 30-100.

Plastic and wooden lanterns 

There were also very interesting-looking plastic lanterns that seemed to be designed in Minecraft.

Plastic Minecraft Ramadan lanterns 

I got one of them. It was sold for LE 140 and believe me that this is the most expensive plastic lantern I have ever bought. 

The wooden handmade lantern is sold between LE 30-250.

Women buying Ramadan wooden lanterns 

Its electric bigger versions are sold for about LE 500. The traditional Egyptian glass tin lanterns are sold according to size as usual.

It can start with LE 25 for the keychain lantern.

A woman asking about the price of a small tin lantern

It can also end with LE 3,500 for the big lantern sold to hotels and restaurants.

Big and middle size tin lanterns

Already from what I understood this year, there are about 250 different shapes of lanterns alone sold in this market this year despite the economic hardships.

Western-styled tin lanterns and traditional smaller tin lanterns 

But despite the number of lanterns makeshift stands invaded both sides of the street, in my visit I saw people mostly women focusing on buying either food supplies from Ramadan staples or those Ramadan decorations.

Ramadan dolls and decorations for sale 

There are some cheap Ramadan decorations like the usual Ramadan tablecloth.

Plastic Ramadan bags featuring famous Ramadan-related-pop fiction characters 
like Bougy and Tamtam as well as MBC Fananees

There are also some expensive Ramadan decorations that mix between decorations and lanterns like that mini-Ramadan cannon.

Mini-Ramadan Iftar cannon 

The was also high demand for cheap cookware and dinnerware.

Buying Ramadan cookware and dinnerware 

Here is the original handmade pottery ware for sale.

Upper Egyptian Potter ware for sale 

This stand is there on the street 24/7 FYI. You can find that stand at night.

Ramadan staple food item, the dates are sold for cheap prices for real in the market.

Buying dates from the market 

Egypt does not suffer from a crisis in dates. It was from the few things that survived the mood of crisis in the past 12 months thankfully. 

Egypt is already now the world’s largest producer of dates.

Selling dates and dried Ramadan fruits at the market 

It produces about 18% of global production, and 24% of Arab production, with a number of fruitful palms exceeding about 16 million palm trees according to the latest numbers in 2022.

Different brands of dates packed and unpacked for sale at the market 

The prices of dates ranged between LE 12 to 40 in some stands.

Sadat El-Khatib and sons sell one kilo of dates for LE 12.5 

I found for the first food supplies like butter, oil and ghee are being sold.

Wait for the second part of the visit to the market in photos and videos too.

Photos were taken by Sony a6500 with an E-mount lens 18-55 mm.