Food prices rise and lines drop in supermarkets throughout Dominican Republic

The risky and intense lines of the weekend in the supermarkets were almost non-existent this Monday, but the complaints of the housewives in the corridors of these establishments were notable for the rise in the prices of the products of the basic basket.

Although the statistics of the Central Bank reflect a decrease of 1.82% in the index of the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages group, which attributes to the drop in prices in agricultural items, women consulted by Listín Diario perceive that all the products of the basic basket have increased.

“The oil went up, the cheapest rice is at 22 pesos a pound, a kilo of sauce from RD $ 108 to RD $ 123, things are getting very expensive, the chelitos won’t pay me,” said Fátima Liriano, who was shopping at a renowned supermarket on Duarte Avenue.

The same comment was made by another lady who bought food and who did not want to identify herself, stating that for some days there have been some increases in products in supermarkets, she said that chicken has risen from RD $ 60.00 to almost RD $ 70.00, as did liquid milk whose prices fluctuate at RD $ 50 and RD $ 70.00 a liter.

Walking the aisles of two supermarkets on the avenue

Duarte found that the price of rice in its different brands ranges from RD $ 22.00 to RD $ 35.00 per pound, 64-ounce oil from RD $ 170.00 to RD $ 190.00, refined sugar to 149.00 for a 5-pound package and cream sugar to RD $ 134.00. Agricultural products vary greatly in price from one establishment to another, in the case of green plantains, their price was in a supermarket at RD $ 14.00 per unit and in another at RD $ 22.00, without showing much difference in size. The Creole potato was at RD $ 18.00 a pound and in another at RD $ 33.00 with the label of “extra potato”.

According to the Central Bank, the cost of the basic basket has decreased. The data presented by the Central Bank shows that the cost of the family basket by quintiles in the first five months of 2020 has decreased between RD $ 227.93 and RD $ 1,051.18. In January of this year, the family basket of quintile 1, consumed by the poorest families, was at RD $ 14,526.87 and in May it was at RD $ 14,298.94, that is, it fell by RD $ 227.93. Likewise, in quintile 2, the average cost of the basket decreased RD $ 286.60, falling from RD $ 20,659.47 to RD $ 20,372.87. In the case of quintile 3, its cost fell between RD $ 369.06 between January and May, from RD $ 25,291.11 to RD $ 24,922.05.