Rising food prices, immigration fears put a damper on some Ramadan celebrations in Minnesota

In his two decades running DurDur Bakery and Grocery in Minneapolis, owner Nur Hadi Ahmed doesn’t remember a Ramadan like this.

The prices of milk, ghee, cheese and eggs are up. So is the cost of halal goat and lamb. He tries to limit what he passes on to his customers, but he says the increases are weighing on him and on families that are “already cash-strapped.”

“The product that we’re receiving from the wholesaler, it’s way more expensive than what we were receiving last Ramadan,” he said.

Ramadan is typically the busiest month for his businesses. Muslims fast during the day but “they eat during the night,” he said with a laugh. But this might be his worst Ramadan in 21 years.

Business owners and faith leaders say Minnesota Muslims are facing extra challenges as Ramadan arrives this year: Rising food prices make it more expensive to host iftars at the end of the day’s fast. And an abrupt change in federal immigration policy has led some to avoid mosques and other community gathering places.

Many Muslims said these challenges threaten the spirit of Ramadan and the traditions that make this season special.

Afrik Grocery manager Mohamed Elmi said he’s seen price spikes in goat and lamb — an important part of Ramadan meals.

“The price went from $3.99 a pound to $4.99,” he said of both ingredients. “Just that’s a huge difference for families already budgeting carefully for the month.”

He fears the soaring prices will mean fewer families can host iftars, the traditional evening meal that breaks the fast after sunset, or invite guests to join the communal celebration.

The price of eggs, a crucial ingredient in many Ramadan dishes, has also risen sharply. Eggs are a must-have item whether scrambled, hard-boiled in salads, or in items like mandazi, fried Somali pastries. As eggs get more expensive, families have to scale back their traditional meals or get creative with recipes.

Onions, a popular ingredient in sambusas and stews, are also growing more costly.

“You can’t have sambusa without onions,” chef Jamal Hashi said of the deep-fried pastry stuffed with meat and vegetables.

Higher costs aren’t just an economic strain for Hashi, who runs St. Paul Restaurant and Catering and teaches about the cultural importance of food in the East African community. He said those costs are also affecting families across the state.

Fartun Warsame, owner of Harwanaag Restaurant in Minneapolis, traditionally sells iftar meals to local mosques during Ramadan. This year, she noted that mosque leaders are negotiating prices, claiming they are too high.

Sambusas have increased from $1 to $1.50 this year, a 50% increase that becomes a hardship when feeding large numbers of people.

Even dates, traditionally eaten to break the Ramadan fast, are more expensive this year.

Minnesota’s Muslim community, which includes many new immigrants, is also feeling the impact of immigration policies under the Trump administration.

Many mosques in Minnesota have already seen a decline in attendance at prayers and community events, which some imams attribute to fears of mosques being targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Faysal Amudi, imam at the Karmel Mall mosque, said that since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, some members of the community feel targeted and have stopped attending regular prayers at the mosque.

He said even those with legal residency are nervous as a larger climate of fear has trickled down to the community. While there have been no verified sightings of ICE at any local mosque, false reports and rumors persist.

“Some immigrant communities who have fled civil wars, experienced trauma, and lived under oppressive regimes often struggle to differentiate between local police and ICE agents,” said Mohamed Shuayb, president of Bayan Research Center in St. Anthony. “For them, any uniformed authority figure represents a potential threat, leading them to perceive all uniformed personnel as ICE.”

Mohamud Wardere, imam at the Ramadan Center in St. Paul, is among the community leaders working to prevent community members from becoming isolated.

“We pray that fear, in serving to separate us, may not drag away the mystery of our capacity to come together during this holy time,” he said.

Families should find ways to stay connected and continue with traditions as the month of Ramadan nears, he said, from hosting smaller but more intimate iftar gatherings to online conversations and meetings after prayer and community events so that those who may be fearful of attending in person can participate.

Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan, could be a more private affair this year. Some families may not be able to be together as they have in the past.

“I hope that the Eid will still shine despite the challenges,” the imam said. “They might not be able to gather as a large group but promised that they would still celebrate together in their hearts and spirits.”

About the partnership

This story comes to you from Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering Minnesota’s immigrants and communities of color. Sign up for a free newsletter to receive Sahan’s stories in your inbox.