Q COSTA RICA — The price of Costa Rica tomatoes in supermarkets continues to skyrocket, almost as expensive as meat. In some supermarkets, a kilo of this tomatoes, which is widely consumed by Costa Ricans, exceeds ¢4,000.
Buying tomatoes, which are essential in salads and the preparation of salads and many dishes, in Costa Ricans is almost the same as buying meat.
For example, a kilo(gram) of pork chops is about ¢3,200. A kilo of chicken ranges b between ¢2,800 and ¢3,000, depending on the store. All cheaper than buying a kilo of tomatoes.
– Advertisement –
Compared to beef, a kilo of steak is around ¢5,000 and ¢6,000, depending on the cut, quality and the store, while a kilo of ground beef is approximately ¢5,000.
Tomatoes were one of the products that registered a sharp rise in price last December, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC).
It had a monthly increase of 50.68%.
This increase was felt in the past week. Not only in supermarkets but also in local agricultural fairs, where prices went from ¢1,200 a kilo at the end of December to ¢2,600 last Sunday at the Santa Ana feria.
Why?
The reason for the rise in the price of this tomatoes, as well as papaya and chile dulce (sweet peppers), and what could be expected for the coming months, are due to the heavy rains for the last several months, affecting crop yields.
Ivannia Quesada, acting president of the National Chamber of Agriculture and Agroindustry (CNAA) explained that since November 2024 they warned that, as a result of the onslaught of climatic phenomena, such as Hurricane Rafael and Tropical Storm Sara, some agricultural products, such as vegetables, would rise in price, due to the increase in production costs and crop losses.
– Advertisement –
However, she mentioned that another factor that is influencing the price increase is the high intermediation margins that usually occur in the marketing of agricultural goods, which range between 100% and 250% of the price paid to the farmer on the farm.
Other factors attributed the high price of tomatoes, fruit, and other vegetables such as potatoes and sweet peppers, the most affected by the inflationary shock, is explained by very significant increases in the prices of agrochemicals and transportation costs.
Supply and demand is another factor given that tomatoes, for example, tends to be in high demand at the end and beginning of the year, as it is a food that is highly consumed during festive times, which pushes its price up.
The atypical rains at this time of year, reduing the supply of tomatoes, push their price up.
– Advertisement –
“It is not only about the fact that crops are damaged and the logistics of product delivery are affected, but also that excess water can reduce the yield of the plant. All this results in a lower supply on the market, with the consequent increase in prices for the consumer,” said economist Javier Adelfang.
Adelfang commented that for the next few months, if the weather conditions improve, “we should expect a readjustment (lowering) of prices, but not necessarily to the level they were, because prices are rigid to the downside, that is “it is easy for them to go up, but then it is difficult for them to go down.”
– Advertisement –
Source link
Rico
