Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter

Vendors doing business at the Coronation Market in downtown Kingston. - File

A mother of two is complaining about increasing prices on ground provisions at the country's local markets.

Sylvia Roberts of Kingston said that, if her salary remains the same and market prices do not fall, she might have to stop buying ground provisions.

Currently she only goes to the market on a Saturday morning and is only able to purchase a few items to cook soup for that day's dinner.

"In July, when I went with $1,500, I get like two bags full. Now I go with $2,000 and I can't even full one bag," Miss Roberts said.

The single parent said she mostly buys vegetables, staples and seasoning produce when she shops at the market.

The price increase of farm produce has been attributed to the passage of Hurricane Dean last August. In addition, farmers have reported that recent flood rains that affected the island up to last week have driven prices up.

Sometimes doubled

Likewise, farmer Cyril Chambers of Carron Hall, St. Mary, said prices are sometimes doubled by the time the product gets to the market.

"This is no fault of the farmer," Mr. Chambers said.

However, if prices are not affected by the Christmas season as supply meets demand, prices may fall, he said.

Mr. Chambers however said farm produce that should not attract a significant increase in prices are string beans, callaloo, pak choy and cucumber.

"These are six week crops that, if planted now, by middle of November is in full swing. Unlike tomato, plant now won't be ready until 10 weeks time," the farmer of 24 years said.

Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, has agreed that a gap between demand and supply has impacted on the price of market produce.

"By the next six to eight weeks there should be a rebalance of items at the market that may see prices remaining the same or falling if there is not a Christmas demand," Senator Grant said.

Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Dr. Christopher Tufton, said that, based on information he has received, within another few weeks more tomatoes should be in the markets.

"I expect normality to resume pretty soon," Dr. Tufton said.

"I am encouraging other people to go into a crop production that has a short supply hence meeting demand," the minister added.

At the same time, Mr. Chambers has advised housewives to spend the same amount of money that they would at the market and purchase whatever amount they may get for their money.

"If you buy less, then there will be a lowering of demand. The vendors will drop the price and the farm gate price will also drop. That's how it works," he said.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com

Approximate prices quoted by farmers last Saturday

Tomato - $80 for cooking types and $100 for salad

Green bananas - $35 per dozen

Yellow yam - $30 per pound

Scotch bonnet pepper - $150 per pound

Red pepper - $100 per pound

Scallion - $80 per pound

Approximate prices at Coronation Market last Sat.

Tomato - $200 and $300 a pound

Green Banana - $100 per dozen

Yellow yam - $50 per pound

Scotch bonnet - $400 per pound

Red pepper - $250

Scallion - $100 per pound