Agriculture Minister Jaime Campos toured Santiago's Vega Central market to oversee food supplies and pricing. The visit comes in response to the recent surge in fuel prices, driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to reports from biobiochile.cl.
The minister acknowledged that rising transportation costs will impact inflation, though he clarified that food prices will not rise in direct proportion to fuel costs.
“It doesn't mean that if fuel prices go up by 50%, food prices will also increase by 50%, as it depends on how much fuel costs influence the final price and the overall cost of the product,” Campos told reporters.
National production and seasonality
The minister urged the public not to be swayed by rumors and to compare prices before making purchases. He suggested that the best strategy is to opt for seasonal produce.
“Fortunately, our national agricultural production is varied; there is diversity and there are always alternatives,” the Secretary of State noted.
Market vendors at the facility indicated that the fuel hike has not yet significantly impacted their product prices. Arturo Guerrero, a spokesperson for Vega Central, explained that food availability depends more on domestic production than on oil prices.
Guerrero detailed that the current supply is broad and sourced from various regions of the country. He noted, for example, that nearly all carrots are currently being produced in Temuco.
“Potatoes are still coming from the south. After that, we have La Serena. Arica has also begun production. Currently, we have 3,000 hectares in Arica producing for the Metropolitan Region,” the official added.
Guerrero emphasized that the key to saving money lies in seasonality: “What we need to know and learn is how to buy seasonal goods.”
Meanwhile, Daniela Acuña, acting director of the Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies (Odepa), recommended that consumers use digital tools to monitor the market. She invited shoppers to check the “Best Seasonal Foods” report available on the institution's website to compare both cost and quality.
