Food Price Increase: Tomatoes Lead the Way, Cucumbers Decrease

The prices of most basic food products, fruits and vegetables on the markets in our country are rising this week, reports the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets (DKSBT).

The Market Price Index (ITC), which reflects the movement of food prices wholesale in Bulgaria, increased by 1.45 percent to 2.654 points compared to 2.616 points a week earlier. The base level of the index (1,000 points) is from 2005.

For vegetables, the biggest increase is for tomatoes, which are up 16.75 percent and are traded at 2.37 euros per kilogram wholesale. Significantly more expensive are also ripe onion - up 9.7 percent to 0.52 euros per kilogram, and red peppers - up 9.13 percent to 2.94 euros per kilogram, while the increase for green peppers is minimal - up 0.4 percent to 3 euros per kilogram. There is also a rise in the price of cabbage - up 6.87 percent to 0.56 euros per kilogram, and potatoes - up 1.66 percent to 0.49 euros per kilogram.

On the other hand, cucumbers are the cheapest, which are down 10.7 percent to 2.17 euros per kilogram. The price of zucchini is also lower, which are 7.2 percent cheaper and are traded at 2.50 euros per kilogram. There is a minimal difference down for carrots - with 0.63 percent to 0.63 euros per kilogram.

For fruits, a price increase this week is observed for all except tangerines, which are down 2.57 to 1.44 euros per kilogram. On the other hand, the most significant increase is for apples, which are 19.21 percent more expensive and are sold at 1.44 euros per kilogram. Also up are the prices of bananas - up 11.62 percent to 1.69 euros per kilogram, lemons - up 5.26 percent to 2.20 euros per kilogram, and oranges - up 1.85 percent to 1.32 euros per kilogram.

The price of cow's cheese fell by 1.14 percent to 5.92 euros per kilogram, and that of Kashkaval type “Vitosha“ - by 2.23 percent to 9.40 euros per kilogram. Yogurt (3 and over 3 percent fat) is cheaper than last week with 0.52 percent and sells for 0.76 euros per cup of 400 g, and fresh milk - with 6 percent to 1.16 euros per liter. The price of butter (a packet of 125 grams) is higher and it is traded at 1.69 euros per piece, which is an increase of 2.3 percent.

Frozen chicken meat increased by 0.17 percent to 3.56 euros per kilogram, and eggs (size M) increased by 1.77 percent and are traded at 0.23 euros per piece wholesale.

The price of rice is up 6.15 percent to 1.76 euros per kilogram, and that of oil - with 3.67 percent to 1.81 euros per liter. Also more expensive are sugar - up 2.25 percent to 0.91 euros per kilogram, ripe beans - up 5.21 percent to 2.06 euros per kilogram, flour type 500 - up 3.67 percent to 0.79 euros per kilogram, and lentils - up 5.21 percent to 2.14 euros per kilogram.