Speaking about the huge price increase in fruit and vegetable products in recent days, the president of Paraguay's Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, Benicio Ramírez, said that the national tomato production only accounted for 10% of the demand so they had to import the remaining 90% to cover the consumers demand.
Ramirez blamed the situation on the outgoing Minister of Agriculture, Jorge Gattini, because his plans to provide infrastructure to the producers had not been executed in a timely manner. He also stated that the domestic production of vegetables, in general, only accounted for 20% of what the country needed.
In turn, José Rivas, president of the Paraguay's Fruit and Vegetable Chamber, said that the horticultural production would only be restored in April. He also said that the rainfall and floods had severely affected the production.
Vegetable prices in the supermarkets have increased enormously and some readers have sent pictures showing the exorbitant prices being charged for different products, such as the iceberg lettuce, which currently costs 41,300 G per kilo.
The average price per kilo of the green locote stand at 14,500 G.; Santa Cruz tomato costs 11,300 G.; red onions 14,450 G.; butterhead lettuce 5,900 G. and the pirati lettuce 4,950 G.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian white potato costs 11,450 G.; the prime onion 7,650 G. and the white cabbage 8,900 G.
Source: ultimahora.com