Baghdad food traders adapt to power outages and heatwave challenges

BAGHDAD, August 19 — Frozen food and meat traders in the Al-Mushattal area of eastern Baghdad have been forced to reduce their inventory to avoid losses resulting from power outages during the summer heatwave.

Shop owners have had to resort to alternative methods to mitigate the effects of frequent power cuts, including preserving meats with wet cloths, while continuing to plead for a solution to the national electricity problem.

Shop owner Hussein Mohammed told 964: “The goods spoil due to the heat and the repeated national power outages, especially during the daytime. Generator lines do not compensate for the shortage of national electricity.”

“We’ve started importing less merchandise, hoping to sell it off daily and prevent spoilage of meats, canned goods, cheeses, and others,” he added.

A source from the Al-Mushattal Electricity Division told 964: “Outages are customary according to the specified schedule for the neighborhood, but occasional interruptions occur for maintenance of electrical and technical issues, which have increased due to rising temperatures.”