By Arlenys Tabare
According to data published this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), some foods in the supermarket increased in price again, This caused in part by the high cost of gasoline critical to the supply chain, but also due to high tariffs and climatic conditions that affect the production of certain foodstuffs.
Since the war with Iran began, which caused the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of the world’s crude oil transits, the price of gasoline has shot up by more than 50%. Currently, according to AAA data, stands at $4.Fifty three dollars per gallon, while diesel, used mostly in heavy and industrial transportation, is $5.66 per gallon.
For its part, High tariff rates have also represented an additional cost on consumers’ bills for certain products.especially those from Canada, Mexico and China. Likewise, farmers and ranchers who are facing adverse weather conditions are inevitably putting upward pressure on prices.
In this regard, Parke Wilde, a food economist at Tufts University, commented that “When there are disturbances in energy markets, they end up having an impact on food prices. “I think that’s what we’re seeing,” he told ABC News.
What are the foods that increased in price?
According to BLS data, in the last year there was an increase of 6.2% in the price of seafood and 11.5% in fresh vegetables. Tomatoes had a surprising increase of 39%, coffee was up 18.5%, while beef was up 14.8%.
For David Ortega, a food economist at Michigan State University, “perishable foods are the early warning indicator when we analyze the impact of high diesel prices in supermarkets.”
Compared to the last month, the price of fresh products increased by 6.5%. In April, fruits and vegetables rose 2.3% and dairy rose 0.8%. The drop in supply due to high demand has caused prices to skyrocket, but “the impact we are seeing is not due to a single ingredient. In reality, it is a combination of them,” Ortega told ABC News.
Regarding the cost of food for home consumption, it was below annual food inflation, which exceeded 11% since 2022, increasing only 2.9% in the last year.
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