Christmas dinner affected by the crisis in the country

If the crisis in the country continues, Panamanians will have to face high prices for the most used holiday products at the end of the year, such as potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, peas, among others.

The closure of the streets carried out in various parts of the national territory meant that these products, which are grown mainly in Tierras Altas, Chiriquí, do not often reach the capital, causing shortages and price speculation.

When visiting the San Felipe Neri market, you could see where the costs are high placed on the market these products.

For example, potatoes, which are one of the most commonly used legumes for the Christmas holidays, It sells for $3 a pound, carrots for $3.50, and onions for nearly $2.

While other products such as Cabbage and lettuce sell for more than $5 a pound.

This situation is worrying, because if the crisis continues, it will affect both producers, as well as Panamanians who consume this type of legumes and vegetables for their New Year holiday dinner.

Faced with what is happening, Pedro Acosta, representative of the National Union of Consumers and Users of the Republic of Panama (Uncurepa)he stated that with the speculation that exists on the Panamanian market, the truth is that many people will not be able to count on these products at the end of the year.’

3

dollars per pound of potatoes sold at the San Felipe Neri market.

$3.50

a pound of carrots is sold on that same capital market.

He indicated that an open economy is practiced in Panama, i.e. free supply and demand, which includes free market access and competition.

He explained that more than 20 days, there is no free access to the products.

Acosta pointed out that there is a collapse in the market and what is there is uncertainty throughout the country.

He repeated that what is definitely happening in the country, This will affect free access to the most used holiday products.

He says that because there are many people who have lost their jobs and As an example, he cites 15,000 jobs that the owners of shopping centers have provided, which will not be filled due to the events in the country.

For his part, Giovanni Fletcher from Panama Consumer Institutecommented that they are very concerned and disturbed by the consumption situation, affected by the abnormal marketing of a number of products related to the agricultural sector.

He explained that all this affects the value of many products that are part of it Basic family basketwhich was already on the rise due to anomalous situations.

Fletcher assured that all these situations produced a series of situations, which will bring back effects, even if the market miraculously normalizes.

He says that because the producers have had big losses in recent days, Therefore, they will try to compensate for the effects they had, making it difficult to regulate the prices of these products.