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have demanded aÌýhalt toÌý in order for more supplies to be provided to local markets and to preventÌýprice increases.

Food exports from the war-torn country have increased during the current , according toÌýNabih Al-Sayyid Ali,Ìýthe former Secretary of the Idlib Chamber of Commerce.

·¡³æ±è´Ç°ù³Ù²õÌý³Ù´ÇÌý in particular have shot up, Ali said, adding thatÌýthe Syrian regime'sÌýMinistry of Economy and Chambers of Commerce are "not telling the truth" about export activities.

The Syrian regime denies this, sayingÌýexports to Gulf countries have actually decreased.

However, Ali said that an increasing number of trucks have crossed Syria's borderÌýwith Jordan, and that exports were also being sentÌýthrough Iraq toÌýBaghdad and Tehran.

The claim comes as price hikes and a collapse of the Syrian lira have hitÌýSyrians hard, particularly during Ramadan, which beganÌýon 2 AprilÌýfor most Muslims.

Monthly wages areÌýroughly around 100,000 Syrian liras (US$26, using the black market conversion of 1USD = 3,900 liras)Ìýeven though family living costs have risen by 600,000 liras this year (US$154).

"They have to stop exporting, we want to eat... are the Gulf countries and collecting dollars more important than the Syrians' needs?" Somaya Al-Aqbani, a woman living in Damascus, toldÌý°®Âþµº'sÌýArabic-language service.

Ali said that Syrian production of tomatoes exceeds the needs of the local market, yetÌýthe price of a kilogram has reached 5,000 liras (US$1.28)Ìýbecause of the exports.

He claimedÌýthat vegetable pricesÌýin the country were now at an all-time high.

A member of theÌýCommittee of Traders and Exporters of Vegetables and Fruits in Damascus, Muhammad al-Akkad,Ìýdenied that there had been an increase inÌýexports of vegetables and fruits, claiming that exports do not exceed fiveÌýrefrigerated lorries per day.

However, Al-Akkad backed up Ali's statement on high prices for tomatoes in Syria.

"The high price of tomatoes is due to exports to the Gulf countries," Al-AkkadÌýsaid.

He also claimed that tomatoes are one of very few items being exported from Syria.

As Syrians across the country struggle to purchase food, the has also contributed to growing food insecurity in the country.

The prices ofÌýgrain and other basic goodsÌýhave skyrocketed, andÌýSyria relies on both countries for the vast bulk of its wheat supply.

Last month, SyrianÌýPrime Minister Hussein ArnousÌý, adding thatÌýthe country had stopped exporting food as a cautionary measure.

However, Arnous' comments were contradicted by his Council of Ministers whoÌýÌýjust two weeks later that public spending would be slashed and basic goods like wheatÌýwould be rationed in anticipation of shortages due to the events in Ukraine.