Argentina food prices show widening gap between supermarkets and wholesale markets

In August, the price gap between supermarkets and the Mercado Central de Buenos Aires (MCBA) reached 112%, a 22-percentage-point increase from July. This disparity was most pronounced in lettuce, which showed a 380.7% difference, followed by squash, tomato, onion, and potato.

Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation stood at 1.7% for August, according to INDEC. While the average remained stable, individual products saw extreme volatility. Onions led the increases with a 42.7% rise, followed by squash (35.5%), bananas (30.4%), and potatoes (22%). Conversely, lettuce and tomatoes saw significant price drops of 18.8% and 17.5%, respectively.

Wholesale fruit prices also rose, driven largely by a 42% increase in banana prices. CEPA attributed this spike to the closure of the Cristo Redentor International Pass due to snow, which hindered the entry of Ecuadorian fruit and increased logistical costs.