The banana prices on the farm they have experienced decreases of more than 15%, according to producers and sellers consulted by Free Daily. Nevertheless, the consumer keep paying the unit at 35 pesos in grocery stores and between 22 and 25 pesos in supermarkets.
“Right now, the most that is coming out of here (Azua) is between 300,000 and 400,000 plantains daily, which is a little less than half of when there is high production. This is because there is not a large amount of land in production”, expressed the president of the Association of Banana Producers from Azua, Alexis Marte.
He added that currently the producer who has bananas available “He’s laughing with his back tooth.”
“He banana price it varied because here it was going up to 22 pesos per unit. Right now, it is coming out between 15 and 17 pesos,” Marte explained to Free Daily.
In it dominican marketeven if it’s the same banana, the price varies if the product is purchased in supermarkets, grocery stores or informal sales stalls. For example, Free Daily He contacted several grocery stores in the Santo Domingo province and the prices were between 35 and 38 pesos.
Instead, between supermarkets ranges between 24 and 25 pesos per unit, but if you buy mature it can cost one or two extra pesos.
In addition, the authorities and producers have indicated that for the winter the banana production low.
In Azua plant more than 38,000 banana tasks and in times of good harvest they put on the market around 1,200,000 units of bananas daily. It is now well below 50%.
“Now we are taking out less than 350,000 units of bananas daily”, indicated the producer.
Free Daily He spoke with several intermediaries who buy bananas in Angostura (Batey 6 and 7, Barahona), Tamayo, Santana, Vicente Noble, Pedernales and Bahoruco, among others.
“I bought 4,000 pesos a load last week. The load has 200 bananasthat is, they cost 20 pesos per unit,” said a merchant only identified as vargasa person who is dedicated to buying products at the farm gate.
He specified that there is bananas who are at the door of estate between 16 and 17 pesos, but they are not premium.
“I bought at 24 pesos a unit last week in the market. Those were big the bananas They have gone down a bit, what is lacking is quality. The one who has quality in the field right now asks for his mouth”, indicated the merchant.
The merchant from the south uses, like most, a Daihatsu brand truck that, in Dominican Republicthey describe it as a “long bed” because it is larger than normal.
Brokerage process
He businessman make four trips to week. In that process you need:
- Two triggers: person who fixes the bananas in the truck. According to the merchant, each one must be paid 2,000 pesos.
- Two shooters: person who throws the bananas on top of the truck. These collaborators receive 1,000 pesos each.
- For the truck you have to get 6,000 pesos per trip (even if it is the owner) and keep it.
- You have to take an average of 4,000 pesos of fuel, depending on where you travel.
- Buscón: person who works as a link between the producer and the merchant. It is similar to a corridor at home.
“If you are looking for 20,000 bananasyou have to give (the buscón) 50 percent of the 20,000 bananas. You already know that they are not two cheles. In other words, right now it takes a lot of expenses to look for plantains for the fields and you have to include those expenses for the plantains as well,” said Vargas.
