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Thanks to Hurricane Dean and the recent rains which lashed the island, a trip to the market now requires a lot more spending money. Because of the scarcity of certain food items, the prices have increased drastically, and in some instances, have been doubled or tripled.
Local carrots, pak choi, lettuce, green bananas, plantains, yellow yam, sweet potato, escellion, tomatoes, cho-cho and hot peppers are among the items that have been affected by the rains.
When THE STAR visited the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, Janet Rose, a vendor there for the last 10 years, explained the factors influencing the price increase. "You see, thru di rain, di ting dem get scarce. You see like all local carrot, pak choi and green banana, you can't really get them. Di rain mash up di escellion most of all."
Ms. Staple, another vendor, told THE STAR, " Before 'Dean' wi use to buy escellion fi $50 and $60 an now mi haffi a pay $150."
Increase passed on
Needless to say, this increase has translated to the retail price for many of her goods,and the cost for a pound of scallion, for example, has been increased by as much as $80 per pound in some instances, moving from $100 to between $150 and $180.
The prices for vegetables like tomatoes and sweet peppers have also increased greatly and in the Morant Bay and Seaforth markets in St. Thomas, for example, a pound goes for between $250-$300. At the Coronation Market, the going rate is $150 per pound. Before 'Dean' and the heavy rains, a pound of tomatoes cost $80 at most.
A farmer from St. Mary, who gave his name as Derrickor, told THE STAR that his entire banana and plantain crop was destroyed by the rains. "Nothing nuh lef pan mi farm. Everyting flatten out. Mi did have dem deh and some coconut, now mi jus a try sell few grapefruit. Even though it scarce, wi haffi a drop wi price jus fi sell. It rough cause wi still haffi a pay truck man and im naw drop fi im price," he said.
Several consumers told THE STAR that they have been forced to cut their shopping drastically, as they simply cannot afford the new prices. One such customer, Joyce, said: "Mi cut down pan certain things. All tomato and escellion, mi nuh buy dem again. Mi not even call dem name. Yu jus haffi lef wha yu can't buy. Mi nuh buy escellion fi purpose. Yu really can't buy nothing missis."
Another shopper from St.Thomas, told THE STAR, "I just buy the cheaper vegetables like string bean and callaloo, or I buy mixed vegetables. I can do without the rest. One big tomato was for close to $200. Why would I buy that?"
Miss Staple, also told THE STAR that because of the increase, her goods were selling less and she was no longer making a profit. She said, "It affect di farmer dem a country, so we cant get no load. An di few tings wi have naw sell. Now mi a seh $180 a pound fi skellion and di people dem naw buy it. Dem seh dem nah buy tomato dem wi use ketchup. It come in like mi haffi go stop sell ya now. Mi have mi bills fi pay so if mi can't get no load it nuh mek no sense."
Norman Grant, President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), told THE STAR that the JAS was aware of the scarcity and said, "The recovery program that was implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture under which $100 million worth of fertilizer was distributed, has helped. The recovery is going to take place. We asked the Ministry to see what they can do to provide seeds or whatever else they can, and we 're awaiting a formal response."
He however expressed confidence that the sector would return to normality before the Christmas season. "I feel the crops are coming in reasonably well, so within another six weeks, particular products like tomatoes and some vegetables will be coming in time for Christmas. Once the concentrated recovery program is sustained, the local crops will come in and we'll see a stabilisation of the prices." He also said the government's decision not to waive duties for those importing produce, was a sign of the commitment to the recovery of the local industry.
Attempts to contact the Minister of Agriculture were futile.
Coronation Market
Item Price Before Dean (per lb) Current Price
Escellion $100 $150-$180
Sweet Pepper $80-$100 $180
Cabbage $30 $60
Sweet Potato $15-$20 $45-$50
Tomato $60-$80 $150
Local Carrot $20 $50
Yellow Yam $10-$15 $50
Scotch Bonnet
Pepper $60-80 $300
Morant Bay Market
Item Price Before Dean (per lb) Current Price
Pumpkin $30-$50 $70
Tomato $70-$80 $250-$300
Cabbage $20-$30 $70
Carrot $30-$40 $100
Local carrots, pak choi, lettuce, green bananas, plantains, yellow yam, sweet potato, escellion, tomatoes, cho-cho and hot peppers are among the items that have been affected by the rains.
When THE STAR visited the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston, Janet Rose, a vendor there for the last 10 years, explained the factors influencing the price increase. "You see, thru di rain, di ting dem get scarce. You see like all local carrot, pak choi and green banana, you can't really get them. Di rain mash up di escellion most of all."
Ms. Staple, another vendor, told THE STAR, " Before 'Dean' wi use to buy escellion fi $50 and $60 an now mi haffi a pay $150."
Increase passed on
Needless to say, this increase has translated to the retail price for many of her goods,and the cost for a pound of scallion, for example, has been increased by as much as $80 per pound in some instances, moving from $100 to between $150 and $180.
The prices for vegetables like tomatoes and sweet peppers have also increased greatly and in the Morant Bay and Seaforth markets in St. Thomas, for example, a pound goes for between $250-$300. At the Coronation Market, the going rate is $150 per pound. Before 'Dean' and the heavy rains, a pound of tomatoes cost $80 at most.
A farmer from St. Mary, who gave his name as Derrickor, told THE STAR that his entire banana and plantain crop was destroyed by the rains. "Nothing nuh lef pan mi farm. Everyting flatten out. Mi did have dem deh and some coconut, now mi jus a try sell few grapefruit. Even though it scarce, wi haffi a drop wi price jus fi sell. It rough cause wi still haffi a pay truck man and im naw drop fi im price," he said.
Several consumers told THE STAR that they have been forced to cut their shopping drastically, as they simply cannot afford the new prices. One such customer, Joyce, said: "Mi cut down pan certain things. All tomato and escellion, mi nuh buy dem again. Mi not even call dem name. Yu jus haffi lef wha yu can't buy. Mi nuh buy escellion fi purpose. Yu really can't buy nothing missis."
Another shopper from St.Thomas, told THE STAR, "I just buy the cheaper vegetables like string bean and callaloo, or I buy mixed vegetables. I can do without the rest. One big tomato was for close to $200. Why would I buy that?"
Miss Staple, also told THE STAR that because of the increase, her goods were selling less and she was no longer making a profit. She said, "It affect di farmer dem a country, so we cant get no load. An di few tings wi have naw sell. Now mi a seh $180 a pound fi skellion and di people dem naw buy it. Dem seh dem nah buy tomato dem wi use ketchup. It come in like mi haffi go stop sell ya now. Mi have mi bills fi pay so if mi can't get no load it nuh mek no sense."
Norman Grant, President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), told THE STAR that the JAS was aware of the scarcity and said, "The recovery program that was implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture under which $100 million worth of fertilizer was distributed, has helped. The recovery is going to take place. We asked the Ministry to see what they can do to provide seeds or whatever else they can, and we 're awaiting a formal response."
He however expressed confidence that the sector would return to normality before the Christmas season. "I feel the crops are coming in reasonably well, so within another six weeks, particular products like tomatoes and some vegetables will be coming in time for Christmas. Once the concentrated recovery program is sustained, the local crops will come in and we'll see a stabilisation of the prices." He also said the government's decision not to waive duties for those importing produce, was a sign of the commitment to the recovery of the local industry.
Attempts to contact the Minister of Agriculture were futile.
Coronation Market
Item Price Before Dean (per lb) Current Price
Escellion $100 $150-$180
Sweet Pepper $80-$100 $180
Cabbage $30 $60
Sweet Potato $15-$20 $45-$50
Tomato $60-$80 $150
Local Carrot $20 $50
Yellow Yam $10-$15 $50
Scotch Bonnet
Pepper $60-80 $300
Morant Bay Market
Item Price Before Dean (per lb) Current Price
Pumpkin $30-$50 $70
Tomato $70-$80 $250-$300
Cabbage $20-$30 $70
Carrot $30-$40 $100