The prices of vegetables whirl upward

Retail prices do not stop rising, the tomato has seen its price rise by 96% over 1 year, onion by 70%, rice by 20%. Brazil, the world's agricultural giant, seems to have difficulty in providing its population with affordable foodstuffs.

Analysts explain that the decision to devalue the real has made the Brazilian currency to lose 24% of its value against the dollar, leading to a rise in prices of imported products. Others emphasize the cohabitation of two distinct agricultures in Brazil: the one, large farms with high yields, export-oriented (soy, corn, sugar, coffee), the other, traditional small family farms that grow fruits and vegetables. The lack of productivity of small farms and shortage of land would explain the scarcity of products and their prices.

Programmed (Football World Cup  in 2014 and Olympic Games in 2016) planetary events are supposed to revive the Brazilian economy but drain the fabulous expenses that could be more useful in the agricultural sector.

Brazil is the World No. 1 for the production of sugar, citrus, coffee, and on the verge of becoming the No. 1 for soybean production.

source : reuters com, le figaro fr