QCOSTARICA — The price of tomatoes has remained sky high since December, at both in supermarkets and farmer’ fairs (ferias) across the country.
According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC), tomatoes registered an increase of 39.58% in December and were one of the ten goods and services that had the greatest positive effect on the monthly variation of the CPI.
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At the end of December, in supermarkets a kilo of tomato was between ¢2,100 and ¢2,700 and at farmer’s fairs it was priced at ¢2,125.
Although a slight downward trend has been observed in recent days, the price of tomatoes continues to remain high.
What is the reason for the high cost of this vegetable in recent weeks?
According to the president of the Cámara Nacional de Agricultura y Agroindustria (CNAA) – National Chamber of Agriculture and Agroindustry, Rigoberto Vega, high production costs limit producers from planting larger quantities or forced to stagger sowing with other products.
Guido Vargas, producer and general secretary of the Unión Nacional de Pequeños y Medianos Productores (Upanacional) – National Union of Small and Medium Producers, explained that, for his part, supply and demand, climatic effects (caused by rains and gusts on the plantations at the end of last year) and diseases have influenced prices, apart from the intermediaries (ie wholesalers and supermarkets) in the marketing chain increasing prices.
“They (producers) switch to sweet chili or cucumber, for example, looking for a niche and there is an oversupply of a product or a shortage,” he said.
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Vargas maintained that all of this causes production to drop and therefore the price to rise.
Editor’s note: As many of you know I run the pizza stand (Pizza Pizza) at the Santa Ana fair on Sundays, I can tell you that the price of tomatoes last month went from an average of ¢1,200 a kilo to more than ¢2,000 from one week to the next. PS. if you visit the feria (5 am to 1 pm), mention to me you saw this here and have a slice of the best pizza at the feria, ok the only pizza at the feria, on the house.
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