Spain: Green pepper prices at origin 500% below retail prices

In August, the price charged by fruit and vegetable distribution chains for green peppers has been 4…

In August, the price charged by fruit and vegetable distribution chains for green peppers has been 491 percent higher than the price at origin, as reflected in the Index of Food Prices at Origin and Destination (IPOD), compiled by the Coordinator of Producer and Rancher Organizations (COAG), the Consumers Union of Spain (UCE) and the Spanish Confederation of Housewives, Consumers and Users (CEACCU).

It is the greenhouse vegetable that has registered the greatest increase in terms of profit margin; 146 percentage points over that of the previous month. The price received by growers selling green peppers was 0.32 Euro per kilo, while consumers paid 1.89 Euro, which is 5.91 times more.

Courgette producers obtained an average price of 0.39 Euro per kilo, while consumers had to pay 1.38 Euro per kilo; 3.54 times more than the average price at origin. It is a gap of 254 percent, 3 percentage points more than in July.

Aubergines were sold by producers for 0.47 €/kg, with consumer paying an average of 1.68 Euro; 3.57 times the price at origin, with a gap of 257 percent, down 137 percentage points compared to the previous month.

Salad tomatoes have seen their profit margin drop by 81 percentage points, down to 296 percent. Their price at origin stands at 0.47 Euro per kilo, while consumers paid 1.86 Euro/kilo, a price 3.96 times higher.

Red peppers reached prices at origin of 0.48 Euro per kilo, while consumers paid 2.25 Euro per kilo, which means that the retail price was 4.69 times higher than at origin. This is a gap of 369 percent, with a drop of 5 percentage points.

Meanwhile cucumber growers received 0.36 Euro per kilo, while consumers paid an average price of 1.43 €/kg, which 3.97 times more. The gap stood at 297 percent and thus grew by 19 percentage points.