Food prices remain high and merchants are affected by low sales

Santo Domingo — Consumers and traders say that the prices of staple foods have increased in value since the beginning of December and up to the start of January, but without giving up hope that the cost of the products will go down.

The highest increases have been seen in coffee, oil, eggs, sugar, tomato sauce, vegetables, milk, and beans.

Trader Rocío Vásquez said that during the first days of December, the products increased in value, and she expects that, as the beginning of the year progresses, these products will remain stable or lower their cost to that established in previous months.

According to traders, the price of a gallon of edible oil, estimated at RD$1,050, increased by RD$50.

Canned tomato sauce, which has also been one of the products whose cost has risen, costs between RD$65 and RD$85.

According to traders at some market stalls, a carton of milk that used to cost RD$80 is now RD$85.

A carton of eggs used to cost at least RD$195 or RD$200, but it is now offered at RD$220.

“The price of vegetables is at RD$150; when there was plenty, it was cheaper. It went up because there is little; the price varies depending on how much is in the plaza. During the Christmas season, prices go up, and we hope they don’t go up more in January,” explained José de la Cruz, a Mercado Nuevo de la Duarte vendor.

Another product that increased its value is beans, priced at RD$65 for red beans.

“People continue to buy, although not much, because with the high prices, what they do is lower the amount of purchases,” said Francisco Araujo, who has been selling for more than 18 years at the Mercado Nuevo de la Duarte entrance.

Meanwhile, the product in highest demand in the market is chicken, which, according to the traders, is sold at RD$75 per pound.

Juan Francisco, a chicken seller at the Villa Consuelo Market, said that since the price increase at the beginning of December, he expects this to be maintained but deplores the low flow of people acquiring the product.

“Chicken is at RD$75; it went up in December by RD$5, but that is because it was selling a lot. There is already a lot of chicken, but it is not selling the same because people are just coming out of Christmas and New Year’s,” Francisco assured, with hopes that sales in the market will be regulated.

Likewise, the presence in supermarkets has been scarce, and those who attend to replenish the food in their pantries mention that since their last purchase for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners, prices have varied by at least RD$5.

“Every time one comes, the prices go up even if it is RD$5 and out of seven products that one usually buys, three or four have another price, such as sugar which costs RD$150 and was being bought at RD$140 for a five pound package,” recounted Yonersi Romero, while observing the prices of the products.

Central Bank Report

According to data established by the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD), the consumer price index (CPI) experienced a monthly variation of 0.16% in November 2024, bringing inter-annual inflation from November 2023 to November 2024 to 3.18%. For twelve consecutive months, it remained between the lower limit and the center of the target range of 4.0 % ± 1.0 %.

The BCRD report explains that, in the comparative analysis of November with October 2024, it is observed that the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages group experienced a negative variation of 0.12% as a result of the reductions verified in the prices of highly weighted food goods, such as fresh chicken, green bananas, tomatoes, carrots, among others, whose decreases were not compensated by the price increases registered in the items onions, garlic, eggs, potatoes and sour lemons.