The cold wave sweeping the highlands in Faifa, Al-Reeth, Bani Malik and other coastal villages in Jizan region, has increased the demand for room heaters and winter clothes, especially for children. With mercury dipping to nearly 7 degree centigrade in mountainous areas and the resultant demand for woolen clothes, shopkeepers are making hay by increasing the prices disproportionately. Heavy fog has engulfed the mountainous region for weeks with low visibility forcing several families to leave for warmer areas. The cold wave, coming just after the Eid break which also sees mounting expenditures, has exacerbated the problems for families, especially with young cildren. Yahya Rayyani spent SR200 to buy a thick coat and gloves in order to go to the mosque for Fajr (morning prayer). Another native, Hussien Sihli, bought cotton underwear for SR500 for his children. “Cold has brought back the fashion of winter clothes. And their prices have increased three-fold. Earlier, these clothes had no market here,”said Essam Braik. Abdullah Miftah, Hani Aqeel, Nasir Al-Ghazwani, and Abdullah Al-Malki all agreed with Braik. “I bought heavy blankets, coal and electric heaters, and heavy clothes for me and my family. It is very cold these days,” added Hasan Al-Faifi. In Riyadh, a severe cold wave has largely propelled the wood market. A pickup truck load of wood is now being sold for SR1,000. “People do not bargain wood prices in this cold. They need it urgently,” said a wood trader, Turki Abdullah. He added the prices of small loads range between SR100 to SR500 and medium loads are between SR1,000 and SR1,500. Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani, another trader, said the rise in prices is limited to these days that are the coolest in winter, noting that people going out on recreation trips in the open or in resorts is the main reason for the increase in prices.
