For several weeks now, Nicaraguans have expressed their astonishment and discontent at the shortage of butter and the increase in its prices in supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide. The big industries affirm that this is due to an excess demand for the product on these summer dates.
“We have had an atypical demand during these months, let’s remember that these are the months of the driest time of the year. So we believe that we are going to be supplying the market one hundred percent and attending to the atypical demand in the month of April. In this month of April our plants will be working at full installed capacity,” said the executive director of Grupo Lala, Mario Rodas, at a press conference.
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They affirm that they will try to continue with the largest distribution network in the country and presence in supermarkets, which they expect to fill the shelves 100% with this product, but without mentioning if the prices of the product will remain the same or if they will experience an increase.
Citizens have expressed their discontent and denounce that this situation makes them think of a return to the shortage that Nicaragua experienced in the 1980s.
“Miserably, after two weeks of searching the supermarket and not finding any, the only thing I managed to buy was 10 grams of butter. We are already reaching 80,” said a citizen who asked to remain anonymous.
A dairy trader from the eastern market said that currently citizens have to consume artisanal butter due to the scarcity of the processed product. He affirms that so far there has been no variation in the cost.
“Customers come to buy large quantities of artisanal butter because they are even afraid that it will also run short and they prefer to be prepared. We are aware that most of the production is leaving the country, including the production of large companies,” said the trader.
Through social networks, consumers denounced that the price of the box of butter had exceeded 50 córdobas, where it was possible to acquire it. Other netizens reported that supermarket chains were only allowing two boxes of the product, per person.
