A basket of essential products now costs 212.76 euros, which is 29.13 euros (15.87%) more than it cost on February 23, on the eve of the outbreak of the armed conflict in Ukraine. Over the past nine months, dairy and meat products are the categories with the largest increases of 20.79% and 19.41% respectively.
According to the organization, “however, growth is being felt across all food categories. In the analyzed period, frozen food, fruits and vegetables, fish and grocery stores also rose in price by 17.96%, 14.45%, 14.38% and 13.34% respectively” compared to February.
Between October 16 and 23, the top ten products with the highest price increase were horse mackerel (24%), quick-frozen peas (18%), ground roasted coffee (13%), sea bass (11%), cereal flakes. (9%), sea bream and extra virgin olive oil (8%), port wine and hake medallions (6%) and finally dried garlic (4%).
From February 23 to November 2: fresh hake (50%), white sugar (49%), tomato pulp (48%), oranges (41%), UHT semi-skimmed milk (37%), turkey steak (33%). , cookies “Maria” and eggs (32%), carrots and a whole chicken (31%).
The Consumer Advocacy Association monitors weekly prices for a basket of 63 staples that includes turkey, chicken, hake, horse mackerel, onions, potatoes, carrots, bananas, apples, oranges, rice, spaghetti, sugar, ham, milk, cheese and butter.
The association explains that this increase is due to the fact that Portugal is “heavily dependent on external markets to guarantee the supply of cereals needed for domestic consumption”, which “currently represent only 3.5% of national agricultural production: mainly corn (56 %). , wheat (19%) and rice (16%).
“And if in the early 1990s self-sufficiency in grain was about 50%, now the value does not exceed 19.4%, which is one of the lowest rates in the world and obliges the country to import about 80% of grain. ” adds Deku.
The organization explains that “the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where most of the grains consumed in the European Union and Portugal come from, has put even more pressure on the sector, which is struggling with the consequences of the pandemic and drought. with a strong influence on production and stockpiling.”
“Limiting the supply of raw materials and increasing the cost of production, namely the energy needed for agri-food production, can thus be reflected in higher prices in international markets and, consequently, in prices at the consumer,” he emphasizes.
