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Prices Skyrocket
The cost of the "Basic Basket" -
which contains the essential
foods that Costa Ricans eat -
increased 21 percent last March,
as compared to the same month in
2004.
This was the largest hike for a
period since 1995, when the
variation in the prices of the
Basket was first recorded.
The cost of the Basket is the
reference to assess the level of
poverty, since it contains 45
products which are defined as
essential because of their
contribution to nourishment and
health in general.
Juan Diego Trejos, a researcher
from the University of Costa
Rica, foresees another increase
in the number of poor families
as a result of the hike in the
Basic Basket. In 2003, 18.5
percent of Costa Ricans ailed of
poverty; in 2004 their ranks
rose to 21.7 percent.
Among the reasons for the
increase in prices, analysts
find factors for which there are
no means to control, such as the
rise in the cost of oil,
transportation, and production;
China's high demand of some
products, which make their price
go up; and weather conditions
which have affected several
crops.
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