Prices of Puerto Rican agricultural products are expected to rise modestly this Christmas season, Puerto Rico’s Department of Agriculture says. Subsecretary Jorge Quiles, an agronomist, said the holidays are one of the biggest commercial periods for the island’s agriculture, especially the pork and starchy-root industries, whose products are central to Puerto Rican cuisine. Top-selling holiday items include plantains, bananas, yautia (a root vegetable), cassava, pumpkin, coconut and pigeon peas, plus pork, especially traditional roast suckling pig; chicken and turkey consumption also rises.
The department reported price increases of 10% to 20% for chicken and 15% to 25% for turkey. Using market estimates for 2018 to 2025, Quiles said demand for fresh products rises 15% to 30% and for meats and processed products 20% to 40%, depending on category. He estimated marketing variations of 10% to 25% for plantains, 5% to 15% for yautia and cassava, 20% to 40% for pigeon peas and 10% to 20% for coconut.
Despite higher fuel and electricity costs that could pressure production, transportation and distribution costs, he expects a 'reasonable' impact rather than a blow to consumers’ pockets, noting the season starts already weighed down by high fuel and power prices. The recent drought of July and August did not hurt production. Quiles urged buying local products year-round.