Food prices in Lima: cost of vegetables and groceries increases due to transport stoppage

The prices of vegetables and groceries are the ones that have risen the most in the face of the transport strike that began on Monday, March 28. Despite the agreements and conversations between the unions in these sectors, the rise in the basic family basket continues to rise day after day.

Infobae Peru toured the market “El Tambo”, located in the district of Carabayllo, this wholesale collection center, aims to distribute vegetables, fruits and meats to other supply centers in the areas.

During our tour it was possible to see that there is indeed an increase in prices. According to the traders themselves, this is changing every day. For example, on Friday and Saturday the kilo of garlic cost 6 soles, this Sunday the price varied to 10 soles. The same thing happens with lemon, now the quarter of this citrus fruit costs 2 soles.

In this market you can find onions between 2 soles at S/1.50, the same happens with the price of yellow and white potatoes. Something that the merchants constantly repeated, is that the products that are arriving are very ripe and are in small sizes.

“This really doesn't just affect the one who comes to buy, it affects all merchants. As much as we want to adjust prices, we cannot because every day they rise and do not fall. People hardly buy by kilos anymore, they come to ask about rooms. That's why we now have to put price per room on our boards and they still get scared,” said Cecilia Aragón, salesman at this food center for Infobae Peru.

“We are bringing everything we can from the Canta and Yangaz farms because it is the closest thing to Carabayllo. Potato, tomato, cauliflower, lettuce, but it's still expensive because truck farmers tell us that gasoline is through the roof,” he added.

SHORTAGE OF VEGETABLES

A very big concern for traders is that certain vegetables are not reaching the capital, for example, carrots and spinach. They pointed out that until Friday they received these vegetables, but at a very high price.

“We have sold the kilo of carrot to 20 soles and the spinach one bundle did not go below 12″, explained Julio Ramos, merchant in this market.

“Today, Sunday, not much vegetables have arrived and it would be of no use to us, because people are not buying. We had to sell a carrot for 2 soles or S/. 2.50. The alverja is not to mention, it was 6 soles and now it costs 18 soles. People think that we are bad and that we take advantage, but understand we also have families to support. We do not raise prices because we want to, we sell boxes very expensive and with unemployment worse. Very ripe vegetables are coming to us and we are harming ourselves,” he added.

PRICE HIKE IN EL POLLO

Continuing our journey, we were able to realize that the price of chicken in this wholesale market fluctuates between S/. 9.80 and 10.50, it varies between size and the poultry that come to distribute.

“The chicken has risen. The price of corn cost 2 soles, now it is 5 soles. That is why poultry companies now leave us at this price and that, we have been told that it will rise to 12 soles. The kilo of the egg costs S/ 7.80 and the hen 17. The truth is that we can't say anything because every day it rises and prices change,” said Rosa Mantilla, salesman.

BEATEN AND RIPE FRUITS

Another problem for traders is that vegetables and fruits are arriving beaten and very ripe, although the price is not going down. Most of the fruits come from Tingo María, Chanchamayo and Huaral and after the stoppage of carriers, this is affecting Peruvians a lot.

For example, the price of passion fruit costs 3 soles, the price of papaya is 7 soles. The kilo of the pineapple cost 3 soles and now it is 6 soles. Strawberry does not come down from 7 soles, tangerine 5 soles.

“We're not bringing a lot of fruit because people don't buy anymore and if they carry, it's just by the quarters. The fruit is spoiling us because of the heat. We don't know what to do because we live on this and if people don't buy us how we feed our families. The government must already do something not just for 5 days. We need stability,” said Lorena Aguilar, a merchant.

MEAT AND FISH

Before concluding, we wanted to review the price of butchers, as they say prices have also risen. The price of loin varies between 26 and 28 soles. In the case of ground beef it can be found in 14 and 16 soles.

“Meat has been going up for weeks, people aren't buying. In just 4 steaks people pay an average of 16 to 18 soles, imagine if you are a big family member,” said Pedro Robles, a wholesaler in this market.

“This situation is regrettable, we are suffering a lot and I ask President Castillo to do something, he can't leave us like this. We depend on this, there are businesses that are going bankrupt,” he added worriedly.

A few days ago, Minister Aníbal Torres suggested to the population that in the face of the rise in chicken they now consume fish. However, the price of this marine meat has also increased between 1 and 2 soles.

Let us remember that last Saturday the government and the Ministry of Economy and Agriculture signed agreements to help curb and lower the prices of the main staple foods and as a first step, a five-day truce has been given to lift the strike in the city of Huancayo.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

If you want to corroborate prices, the Ministry of Agriculture has a tool to know the value of wholesale vegetables, fruits and more. You just have to enter HERE for more information.

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