Mesmerised as she was by the bustle of mercato, Hadra Kedir in her mid-30s, stood outside the huge Anwar Mosque calculating how best she could afford the necessary items to please her three children. Hadra was feeling the pressure to buy the essentials during the Ramadan holiday as the prices of vital commodities such as wheat and barely flours have gone up.

As many households do, Hadra journeyed across the city from her home in Shiro Meda in search of the best deals. She tries to supplement the meagre income her husband, Mohammed Suleiman, earns as a carpenter by selling vegetables in an open market found in her neighbourhood.

"The lack of regular clients for my husband's trade means the prices of basic commodities have surpassed our capacity," Hadra bemoaned.

Although she was able to afford an Islamic cape and dress for her children for the holiday, she became worried with the growing expenses of raw materials used for making soup that is very popular during Ramadan among Muslims.

"Rather than baking biscuits, and cake at home, I thought buying such food items from vendors would be much cheaper," Hadra worryingly told of her plans. However, even the ingredients to make soup or for cooking Kinche (a porridge made of half-grinded sorghum flour) are becoming a burden."

Just before the Muslim holiday,- barely or sorghum ground flour sold for seven Birr per kilogramme up from four Birr for a kilo before Ramadan.

"The children at home do not want to know about prices," Hadra told Fortune. "All children want is to get what other children in the neighbourhood have."

The largest open air market in Africa, mercato, attracts almost every inhabitant of the capital at one time or another. The holiday seasons especially find many rushing about the noisy and crowded market seeking deals.

Even as late as 6:00pm in the evening, several recording shop continually blast all sorts of songs but no one seems to be bothered by the nuisance tossing into the air, for everyone is part of the sum of the noise.

Found at the periphery of the less than tidy mercato area, with its crescent moons reaching to the sky, Anwar Mosque is one of the largest in Ethiopia. It seems to have become the centre of attraction for many faithful, particularly during this Muslim fasting season.

The call to prayer heard from the Mosque's loud speakers is not the only high volume sound to be heard in the area though.

As the thick crowd of people stream in and out of the Mosque in mass, along the Mosque's perimeter there are men of various ages standing or seated to sell home-baked cakes, dates, oily bread and baklava, to name but few. Business in proximity to the Mosque appears booming.

Observing those breaking their fasting day at sunset eating and sipping is as good as being part of the feasting. However, considering the eagerness apparent on the face of many consumers, it is a wonder what numbers of food items are bought without the usual bargaining at a time when prices seem to be straining so many budgets.

Hadra's concern about prices is shared by other families such as Rukia Nasser, mother of four who wonders whether the prices of ingredients to bake biscuits or prepare kinche at home have anything to do with the general inflation or it is because of Ramadan during which time most people hardly concern about the prices.

"As a result of others buying without haggling, those who sell consumer goods take advantage of people with all budget levels," Rukia, who has decided to break tradition and buy prepared biscuits, told Fortune.

Last year Rukia baked her family's biscuits at home. The increase in the prices of two main ingredients, edible oil and wheat flour has put this option outside her budget, however.

"Just a few days before fasting started prices were fairly affordable," Rukia remembered. "However, even edible oil whose price had come down before Ramadan has now gone up to around 20 Br per litre."

Rukia also suspects that an increase in demand due to the charity expected during the season to feed those who cannot afford to do so themselves may have contributed.

The other item equally coveted during Ramadan is dates used for breaking the fasting. This item imported from Saudi Arabia has jumped from 22 Br per kilogramme a year ago to 26 Br per kilo. Yemeni dates have shown a similar increase from 14 Br a kilo last year to around 19 Br per kilogramme this year.

The only break in prices for Muslims this year comes from the Islamic clothes for men, women and children which have not drastically changed from the previous year.

Many seem determined however, not to let anything stand in their way.

"Whatever it takes, one needs to remain strong enough to resist the temptation and should eat whatever is made available at his disposal by remembering those who cannot afford anything at all," Hadra afforded some strength to express hope.