While prices for vegetables at the Bourda Market have remained steady between July 12th and August 17th based on checks done by Stabroek News, tomatoes continue to fetch a premium rate and there could be a link to the oil and gas industry.
The tomato price was also high at the Stabroek Market and the one supermarket this newspaper checked.
Tricia, a Stabroek Market vendor told this newspaper on August 4th that she customarily bought tomatoes for $500 or $600 per pound and sold at a $100 markup. However, she said that the farmers had raised their prices and she considered herself lucky to be able to sell her tomatoes at $700 per pound since she was able to source some cheaper from one farmer. Purchasing from her wholesaler would have required her to sell her tomatoes at $800 per pound.
The heavy rain in June and July has also had an impact as blossoms were blown off of vines and tomato plants died. The rising cost of fertilisers and pesticides was also seen as having an impact on the prices.
On August 4th, English tomatoes from supplier, Trevor Fraser were being sold at the Bounty Supermarket at $912 per pound. Fraser a farmer in the Mahaicony area told Stabroek News in a phone interview that he supplied Bounty with the English variety.
“The wholesale price for tomatoes is $600 per pound but I sell to the supermarket for $760 because it has to be packaged. This is when the tomatoes are put on a tray, then racked and bar coded”.
Fraser added that the tomatoes have to be a certain standard, according to the supermarket contract. They cannot have any blemishes and they have to look good in size, shape and colour. He said that farmers encountered challenges planting tomatoes since the rainy weather in January. This created a scarcity on the market. Farmers now have to replant all over again after preparing their beds.
The demand for tomatoes by the oil industry is also said to be driving the shortage on the local market. Two oil producing platforms in the Atlantic and other parts of the industry are also consuming large quantities of fruits and vegetables.
Fraser explained that he has to fulfil contracts in the oil sector so that he won’t lose credibility because the companies buy considerably large amounts of produce from him.
“When you sign a contract with them you are locked into a price”, he said.
Bourda Market
Vegetables Prices on the 17 August, 2022
Tomatoes $600 per pound
Onions $160 per pound or $300 for two pounds
Ochro $200 per pound
Potatoes $100 per pound
Karila $340 per pound
Boulanger $500 (3 small ones in a parcel) or $1,000 (five big ones in a parcel)
Cabbage $460 per pound
Cucumber $100 for one
Lettuce $160 for small bunch $200 for Medium sized bunch
Pak-choy $100.00 for one root
