The president of the Consumer Ombudsman, Ricardo Salazar, held a conference to verify the storage and distribution plant of Arrocera San Francisco in San Marcos, San Salvador. During the inspection, he expressed that the investigation seeks to prevent abusive practices such as price speculation and hoarding of basic grains, mainly beans and corn.
In addition, Salazar assured that the inspections and audits have been activated in coordination with the Ministry of Finance, to guarantee fair prices for consumers and avoid abuses by companies that make use of the exemption from import taxes.
“This deployment includes information requirements on import volumes, purchases, sales and consumer prices, according to the nature of the suppliers that are part of the joint investigations with the Ministry of Finance at the national level” added the institution.
Adding that importing, storing, distributing and marketing companies such as supermarkets and wholesale stores must promptly respond to information requests.
After touring the storage and distribution plant of Arrocera San Francisco, Salazar highlighted that “At the moment we can rule out any risk of product shortages.”
Likewise, Salazar anticipated that the investigations and audits, in progress, in at least 20 agents of the food supply chain will be maintained and expanded to other suppliers, for as long as necessary to avoid abuses against our population.
Regarding the same issue, the institution also went to the processing and distribution plant of Arrocera San Francisco located in El Rosario, La Paz, where it verified a sufficient supply of rice and beans.
“There is a significant level of supply in the national market, we rule out any risk of shortages, and in order to guarantee stocks and fair prices, we are going to continue with our work” Salazar stated.
BY: KARLA CHACON.
