Filenews 20 August 2021 - by Pambos Vasilas
While the prices of basic vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers have skyrocketed to three or almost four euros, the rural world in Kokkinochoria and its representatives are trying to give their own version of the phenomenon. Accepting, of course, once again the criticisms and strong comments of consumers.
First of all, they highlight the phenomenon of the increase in the prices of vegetables in August is observed almost every year and is due to the very high temperatures and heatwave that are usually observed in that month. As a result, the production of plants plummets and prices go up. For example, in a specific Association of Producers that was found yesterday morning the "F", while the agricultural members planted 12,000 roots cucumbers for production during this period, however there were less than ten boxes of cucumbers, with the demand being about ten times higher.
However, those responsible have pointed out to us emphatically, this great scarcity is not the sole reason again that consumers buy vegetables at the prices they have been buying in recent days. Showing us yesterday's invoices, from which the company's logo was simply removed for obvious reasons, we were told that during yesterday the Association provided: Cucumbers for €2.30. Palm tomatoes for €1,70. Green peppers for €1,50. Watermelons for €0.50 per kilo and white grape for €0.80. Our products, as explained, are received by trucks owned by the brokers and staffed by at least one employee. Work that lasts a few hours. Then, the perishables are transported to the wholesaler's premises where the various orders will be prepared to be distributed to fruit shops, supermarkets, grocery stores, etc.
All these expenses of brokers, argue the representatives of producers, trucks, packing orders and delivery, are added to the initial price of each product, raising it by at least 20 to 30 cents per kilo.
Then, the producers pointed out, the price now depends on the final recipient. The fruit market, the supermarket, the grocery store. They will also bear the damage from one kilogram or more of the product that will now be lost in the process, until it reaches the consumer's trolley. That is, the one watermelon that will break. The few cucumbers that will be consumed by small and large consumers, etc. Each retail point of fruit and vegetables, we were told by the producers, has its own policy for the formation of the final retail price of an agricultural product. For example, there is the supermarket that says "I charge a profit rate of 30% on the price I bought from the brokerage.". But there is also the fruit market that says "I charge 20%". But there is also the supermarket that says "When an agricultural product is too expensive, I drop the profit rate, in order to keep the price somewhat, for the benefit of my customers".
"Don't just shoot the rural world"
Therefore, producers stress, in the final analysis, the final price of an agricultural product is determined by three factors mentioned above, one of which is farmers who produce abundantly or narrowly, depending also on the prevailing weather conditions. However, in the final price that is charged, is added along the way the cost of brokering, but also of the point of retail sale, from where the consumer will buy it. With all these facts, the producers conclude, the consumer is called to weigh the data in force in Cyprus around the issue of the marketing of agricultural products.
