Lettuce, celery and cauliflower register most significant price hikes at supermarkets

SANTIAGO.- Romaine lettuce (22%), celery (19%) and cauliflower (17%) are the produce items that registered the most significant price hikes in supermarkets last week.  At open markets, the greatest price increases were registered among green beans (37%), corn (33%) and apples (22%).

The figures come from the latest fruit and vegetable produce weekly price poll, released on Monday.  The study is performed by the Office for Agricultural Studies and Policies (Odepa) of the Ministry of Agriculture. 

The poll indicated that most significant drops in prices at supermarkets were among onions (19%), pears (19%) and lemons (12%), while in open markets, the produce items with the largest price decreases when compared to the previous week were lemons (19%), onion (16%) and garlic (16%).

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Odepa poll also indicated that green beans and fresh corn tend to disappear from the market during this season and that it is practically impossible to find these products at supermarkets, while they can be acquired at open markets, albeit in lower quantities.