|
Rising Beef Prices Has
Butchers Stewing
The rising price of beef is out
of control and threatens to
bankrupt small butchers, charged
the butcher's union yesterday,
facing a possible hike of 10% on
the price the meat.
Butchers say they want an
explanation by the government on
the mechanics of the increase in
the cost of beef, the role of
beef farmers, the livestock
auctions and the increase of
foreign in investment in the
business. The group is hoping
that the Ministerio de Economía,
Industria y Comercio (MEIC) can
intervene in the regulations
that govern been production and
marketing, otherwise they will
have to turn to the Consejo
Nacional de la Competencia and
to the streets to force the
government into listen to them.
The price of been has gone up
35% this year to a record level
of ¢1.190 colones por kilo. or
us$1.13 a pound at the wholesale
level. When you add all costs of
operation, the consumer is
paying an average of ¢2.083 a
kilo.
The price of beef is manager
artificially by the livestock
auctions, the butchers charge,
that has seen a large amount of
foreign buyers whose intention
is for export and has shot up
the price.
The charge is that foreign
buyers are coming to Costa Rica
and buying up a large number of
heads of cattle for processing
in other countries, driving the
price higher and higher, leaving
domestic buyers at a
disadvantage. The butchers want
the government to look closely
at what is happening at the
auctions.
|
|
