May 3, 2024

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Street markets: shock from rising prices over the week


Consumers complain about profiteering that thrives on likes. In turn, market sources respond: “Long delivery delays and shortages of essential goods are a fact. Price increases cannot be avoided.”

There are practically no vegetables on the shelves, the prices are sky-high, despite the fact that half of the producers and sellers have “give up” and temporarily stopped working (due to the hurricane and its consequences): this is what the street markets in Larissa and Karditsa are like.

Although the biggest problems are in flood-affected areas, residents of Larissa and Karditsa report that fruits and vegetables, whatever their quality, are sold at a “maximum price” of 30 cents to 1 euro above last week’s prices. There is a possibility that The “high cost epidemic” will spread throughout the country in the coming weeksexperts say.

“To deliver milk from Thessaloniki, it previously took about 5 hours. And today, due to road closures, we are on the road for 11-12 hours,” says the head of a large dairy manufacturing company, emphasizing, however, that prices have not changed.

https://rua.gr/news/bissecon/57627-tsiklon-daniel-problemy-s-nekhvatkoj-prodovolstviya-i-na-chto-podnimutsya-tseny.html

At the same time, the Ministry of Development yesterday established bottled water price ceilingwhich is sold in Thessaly, in order to protect and support consumers.

“And a salad for 5 euros?”
Over the past two days, when life had just begun to return to normal in Larissa and Karditsa, citizens noted with displeasure shortage of products both on supermarket shelves and in huskies. The same thing is observed in meat and fish shops. Prices have gone up.

With Larissa’s central vegetable market still flooded and traders sourcing produce from Thessaloniki via Grevena, Athens and Argos, prices for vegetables and fruits have risen sharply.

Green leafy vegetables, which had seen smaller harvests across the country due to high temperatures in previous weeks, were being sold on Larisa Street yesterday at exorbitant prices. Salad (maruli) for 3-5 euros from 1 euro, cabbage 2.5 euros per kilo and greens (grass χόρτα) for 10 euros (!). However, few people sold tomatoes, besides, they were of poor quality. Despite this, their price was nevertheless 2 and 3 euros per kg.

Traders, for their part, essentially foreshadow an unpleasant future: “Prices reflect the law of supply and demand.” When there is a shortage, the market reacts quickly and prices automatically rise.”

At the same time, citizens talk about “dirty profit” and speculation in the trade sphere. However, when ot.gr contacted the Ministry of Development of Greece with this question, competent officials responded that “at the moment, not a single they have not received a substantiated complaint“.

“To file a complaint, you need to provide documented facts and evidence to support them. The services are on alert, conducting daily and extensive raids in the fight against “lovers of profit,” the message states.

https://rua.gr/news/gospol/57609-miting-zhertv-navodneniya-v-larise-pereshel-v-stychki-s-politsiej.html

Price rises cannot be avoided
In any case, huge destruction on the Thessalian plain will lead to a shortage of agricultural products, which will clearly not be temporary.

Greenhouses with vegetables and crops grown in the fields were completely destroyed. In addition, a shortage of basic food products such as grain, legumes, grapes, almonds, kiwis, apples, as well as a reduction in the production of milk, cheese, and meat due to the loss of livestock, is striking a blow to the entire food sector.

https://rua.gr/news/bissecon/57638-larisa-v-zhivotnovodcheskom-komplekse-bylo-1200-ovets-utonuli-800-video.html

More likely the deficit will need to be covered by imports, experts say. According to preliminary estimates, consumer prices for basic products such as fruits, vegetables, milk, cereals, cheese, legumes, pasta and meat will rise by 10–30% in the near future.



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