It appears that the recent spate of hot weather across the Middle East burned a hole in many a Jordanian’s wallets. According to Al-Quds daily, this summer has resulted in a substantial rise in air-conditioner sales throughout the kingdom, with local suppliers expecting the sales boom to continue for another two months at least.
The demand for cooler air has driven prices upward. According to the newspaper, consumer often arrive at a store expecting to pay JD 200-300 for an air-conditioner, but may end up being asked for as much as JD 1,000. Was this not the case, sales may well have been higher, especially among low-income families. Such households often end up finding cheaper solutions, purchasing low-priced models manufactured in Malaysia, Korea or China.
In Syria, the situation is similar, with air-conditioner prices reaching the unusually high level of SP 18,000, approximately SP 3,000 higher than the average reported last year. – (Albawaba-MEBG)
