Government: all over the world there are increases in food prices due to the pandemic

The General Directorate of Governmental Accounting (Digecog) came out in front of the voices that hold the Government responsible for the increase in food prices by pointing out that this is a situation experienced worldwide as a result of the pandemic.

Félix Santana García, head of Digecog, affirmed that the current authorities are making an effort to overcome the health and economic situation affecting Dominicans.

He attributed the increases in the products of the family basket to the gains registered in the prices of oil, natural gas, corn, soybeans; to climatological phenomena, variations in the demand and supply of developed countries, as well as to the interruptions in maritime and air transportation and the cost of freight.

“According to information provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), world food prices have risen for the eighth consecutive month, driven by cereals, vegetable oils, and sugar,” he said.

In a press release, Santana Garcia explained that this caused FAO food prices to register an average of 113.3 points in January this year. The price index suffered an increase of 4.3% more than in December 2020, reaching its highest level since July 2014.

Digecog’s director-general indicated that the price of grains experienced a substantial monthly increase of 7.1%, driven by international corn prices that soared 11.2% and currently stand at 42.3%, above the level reached in January 2020.

That report also noted that wheat prices rose 6.8%, dragged down by strong global demand and expectations of reduced sales from the Russian Federation.

He recalled that recently the National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep) warned that there could be shortages and shortages in some products due to the fluctuations recorded in world prices of raw materials and food, reaching its highest peak in recent years.