Vegetable prices escalate in Berbice, Essequibo Coast

By Andrew Carmichael and Raywattie Deonarine

The prices for all vegetables at municipal markets in Regions Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and Five (Mahaica-Berbice) have increased, causing concern among consumers.
A visit to the Corriverton, Port Mourant and New Amsterdam Markets in Region Six and the Rosignol Market in Region Five on Saturday found that the current price for some vegetables is five times the price it was recently.
The Port Mourant Saturday market is the country’s largest market. It is considered a farmers’ market. Many consumers flock there but on Saturday many of them were disappointed with the prices for vegetables, which have skyrocketed.
Some vendors were retailing tomatoes for $200 and six for $500, pumpkins for $200 a piece and boulanger (eggplant) at three for $500.

Cucumbers were being retailed at six for $500 while ochro were between $260 and $300 per pound. At the New Amsterdam Market, ochro was being retailed at $360 per pound. Many of the vendors at the New Amsterdam market get their vegetables from the Port Mourant Market.
Some consumers were left in shock.
Liloutie Harrinarine is a farmer from the Black Bush Polder – one of the communities hard hit by the floods.
She said that it is justifiable for them to increase prices.
“The price raise for everything because enough greens are not in the market. Because of the flood, instead, we getting four bags we only get one; we lose plenty so we had to sell it that we could get something. Remember all the labour, drugs and fertilisers is expense, so, you not really making anything,” she told this publication while adding that market forces determine the prices.
However, Collet Alert, who purchases from the farmers and retails to consumers is of the view that the farmers should not be increasing prices.
According to her, the prices she is now acquiring vegetables at has increased. She noted that eggplants are now being acquired at $10,000 per bag as against $2500 per bag. Tomatoes at $8000 per bucket whereas the price had risen to $3000 just before the floods.
According to Alert, she now purchases eschalot at $900 per pound, celery at $1000 per pound and cucumber, $4000 for one hundred which is double the price before the floods.
“The things are expensive due to the flood but it is too expensive again,” she declared.
Meanwhile, wholesale prices taken from the four markets varied. Nevertheless, the increases were evident.
Boulanger (eggplant) has moved from an average of $5000 per bag to between $10,000 and $12,000 per bag. Bora has increased to between $800 and $1000 per bundle whereas it was previously being wholesaled at $300 per bundle.
Squash, which was retailed in the market at two for $100 and $100 each is now being wholesaled at $400 each. They are being retailed at $500 each.
Pumpkins are being offered to market vendors at $80 per pound as against $20 previously.

The acquisition price for ochro has doubled to $200 per pound. Cucumbers have also moved up to $3000 per hundred as against the previous $2000 per hundred.
Celery has moved from $400 to between $800 and $1000 per pound from the farmers. Round peppers which were $100 per pint has doubled while large peppers have risen to $300 per pound, increasing by 200 per cent (was $100).
Vendors at all of the markets say that some shoppers have insulted them when they tell them of the new prices.
“As vendors, if we don’t want to pay the price, someone else will take it and go and sell it because greens aren’t there; we very lucky when we get something to buy to get to sell,” one vendor explained.
Meanwhile, even as vegetables were in limited supply at the Corriverton, Port Mourant, New Amsterdam and Rosignol Markets, there are rumours that the supply will be less next week.
At the New Amsterdam and Rosignol Markets, supplies are also received from Parkia.

Region Two
Meanwhile in Region Two, the price of most vegetables has risen considerably in the wake of the recent flooding, and customers are likely to see further increase if farmlands across the region remain water-logged.
A recent visit by Guyana Times at the Anna Regina Old Market revealed that seasoning peppers that were selling at $200 per pound just a few days ago, are now selling at $500 per pound. Adding to that, bora and ochro that were selling for $200 per pound are now being sold for $260-$300 per pound. Cabbage is now $500 per pound as compared to $300 while tomatoes are $300 per parcel as compared to $200 for the same parcel before the flood.

Boulanger has risen from $3000 to $4000 per bag; pepper has gone from $200 to $500 per pound; Carilla is now being sold for $300 a parcel as compared to $200; callaloo, from $500 for two bundles to $500 a bundle; sweet pepper has gone from $300 to $460 a pound while eschalot and celery which were $500 per pound, is now $800-$1000 per pound. Squash has risen from $100 and $200 for small ones to $300 and $400. Pumpkin is $300-$400 a piece compared to $200 for the same piece before the flooding situation in the region.
Meanwhile, the prices for ground provisions have also skyrocketed. Plantain is now $100 per pound, after being sold at $40 per pound/three pounds for $100 just a days ago; cassava has also risen from $50 a pound to $100 per pound. However sweet potatoes and eddo are $120 per pound as compared to $60 a pound. Additionally, fruits remain at the same prices, but customers are given less.
Speaking with a vegetable vendor, Margret Williams related: “Vegetable vending is my job for 8 years now… and I does buy fuh sell back to my customers… when I order my load this week I didn’t expect the price the man told me…. The same amount of vegetable ize buy every week… one bag boulanger ize pay for $3000 a bag and now is $4000… and I raised the price where I was selling 3 for $200 now I have to sell for $300… people nah willing to buy the greens because of the sudden rise on the vegetables.”
Another vegetable vendor, Neesha Narine said that the price for vegetables has skyrocketed as a result of the intensive rainfall. She stated that her vine crops are damaged, including squash, pumpkin and carilla because of the recent flooding.
However, this publication understands that some vendors are purchasing from farmers at a higher cost and so have to retail at a higher cost.

Internationally
Last week, a CNN Business report stated that everything is getting more expensive. From furniture, to used cars, to uncooked beef roasts, consumer prices have grown steadily since January.
According to the report, the ongoing pandemic has complicated supply chains, limiting supply, even as demand for goods soars.
Overall, consumer prices rose five per cent last month over the previous May — the biggest jump since the summer of 2008 and more than the predicted 4.7 per cent increase, the CNN report stated.