In stock, new labels also this month / the day
The basic food basket already had an increase of 2.27 percent in the first fifteen days of January, according to a survey carried out by the Free Consumers entity in supermarkets and businesses. In the Region, the food merchants consulted by this newspaper agreed that, despite different agreements, prices “do not stop”.
It was reported that the category that increased the most in the first 15 days of the year was fruit and vegetables, with a variation of 5.69 percent leading the rise, according to the Free Consumers report.
Within this category, the product that increased the most was carrots, which registered a variation of 21.74 percent. It went from costing $230 in December 2022 to costing $280 this month. Local greengrocers said that was due to a seasonal factor. The plum tomato increased by 18.42 percent; the apple per kilo 10.20 percent and the orange 9.09 percent.
As a counterpart, the prices of: eggplant fell by 8.57 percent; the onion per kilo, 5.13 percent and the chard did not register variations.
The person in charge of a fruit and vegetable stall that sells at city fairs said that potatoes, one of the most popular products among Argentines, remained at a high price due to the drought. In her stall, 3 kilos are sold for $490.
“There is not much seasonal fruit, medium-sized peaches sell for $790 per kilo, a value that the rest of the fruit also has, such as plums and peaches,” explained the vendor. In other greengrocers they reach $850. And the grapes at $1,050.
Among the products that increased, everything with green leaves was mentioned, which was affected by the intense heat. “Spinach rots very quickly, it sells for 2 for $390,” added the merchant.
Avocados also remain expensive, they cannot be found below $300 per unit.
Among the products with the lowest increase, oranges were mentioned, which are available at $390 for two kilos, and small peaches, $490 per kilo. The large onion sells for $590 for two kilos and the same amount, but for small ones it costs $390.
The greengrocers consulted stated that between the producer and final consumer, a lot of cost is added for the value of the transfer and taxes.
It was also mentioned that in times of so much heat and drought the irrigation machines work with gasoline and that is expensive, as well as the seeds that are charged in dollars. Even the payments that people make with a debit or credit card are transferred to the products due to the bank cost that this represents to the merchants.
Regarding warehouse products, the Free Consumers report indicated that the product that increased the most was fine grain rice. The variation in the last fifteen days was 3.70 percent; It was followed by fresh bread, 3.64 percent; stew noodles, 3.23 percent; yerba mate, 3.16 percent; fortified milk, 1.49 percent.
Ricardo Cuevas, storekeeper of the Region, maintained that the flours have already begun to have adjustments and opined that if the drought affects their production. The trader pointed out that, despite the variations in the dollar, there are products such as coffee that remain stable and considered that March could be a month in which the increases impact on mass consumption foods.
Cuevas also highlighted the damage suffered by local merchants compared to large supermarket chains that reach agreements with the Government on supply and policies such as Fair Prices.
Although meat was one of the products in the basic food basket that registered the least variations, the rise in prices in the protein category is led by the palette, which increased 1.37 percent in the first half of January. It is followed by the roast, 1.31 percent and the loin ball with 0.60 percent. Meanwhile, minced meat did not register variation.
In the first half of January, food prices rose 2.27 percent
