Cuiabá basic food basket costs rise for fourth consecutive week

The cost of the basic food basket in Cuiabá, Brazil, has increased for the fourth consecutive week, reaching an average of R$ 937.20 in the third week of October. This represents a weekly increase of 0.25% and an annual rise of 18.82% compared to the same period last year.

While five of the 13 items in the basket saw price reductions—notably bananas, which fell by 9.19%, and potatoes, which dropped by 8.23% due to weather-related quality issues—these declines were insufficient to offset the rising costs of other essential goods.

Beef prices rose by 5.25%, reaching an average of R$ 49.87 per kilogram. This increase is attributed to lower availability of animals ready for slaughter, high production costs, and strong export demand limiting domestic supply. Sebastião Gonçalves, president of Fecomércio-MT, noted that persistent price hikes are pressuring family purchasing power and forcing consumers to adjust their consumption habits.