Original article: Gremio de ferias libres advierte que productos agrícolas podrían subir hasta un 50% por «bencinazo» de Kast
Warnings continue to surface following the sharp increase in fuel prices triggered by the government’s intervention in Mepco under José Antonio Kast.
Now, the association representing free markets across the country has cautioned that agricultural product prices could escalate by as much as 50% because of Kast’s «fuel shock,» with this increase expected to take effect in the coming days.
Froilán Flores, the vice president of the Free Market Association, raised concerns about the severe situation, stating, «it’s very serious because our fuel costs are rising nearly 60%, and today, for instance, 70 to 80% of the vehicles in free markets run on diesel or oil, which has surged by almost 60%.»
He explained that, unfortunately, these costs will eventually be passed on to consumers, revealing that vegetables «will rise next week, at the latest, by 30% to 40%, based on our estimates.»
«There is no possibility of providing healthy food at these prices, and we are very worried about food security. A lettuce could cost at least 1,500 pesos. In some areas, it may even reach 2,000 pesos,» he added.
In light of these issues, Froilán Flores urgently requested a meeting with Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz to discuss this complex situation: «I humbly ask, as a market vendor, to speak with Minister Quiroz and his team,» the representative stated in comments reported by Canal 13.
Meanwhile, Paola Morales, president of the National Confederation of Free Markets (Asof), confirmed that prices for fruits and vegetables could increase between 40% and 50%.
«There are colleagues traveling from regions to supply the Metropolitan Region, which will entail much higher costs for them. (…) When truck drivers indicate that their costs are going up by 60%, just imagine how much the average food prices on Chileans’ tables will rise,» the leader argued.
Finally, the National Society of Agriculture (SNA) detailed that the impact will not be confined to the field versus market paradigm but will extend across the entire supply chain, affecting everything from field to plant, plant to distribution center, and distribution center to retail. The most impacted products will be vegetables, potatoes, and fresh items that have rapid turnover rates, mainly sourced from the O’Higgins and El Maule regions, as well as those coming from more remote parts of the country.
We will continue to provide updates.
