Consumers are facing a sharp rise in the cost of fresh fruit and vegetables, with retailers charging far more than farmers receive, the Cyprus Consumers’ Association reported on Monday.
The Association said its research into 30 types of produce found “worrying evidence” of excessive price hikes. In 27 cases, the gross profit margin on the producer price exceeded 107%, far above the association’s estimate of a “logical” 50-60%.
Bananas saw the biggest gap, with retail prices 171% higher than the price paid to farmers, while cherry tomatoes were marked up by 120%. Other products with significant price differences included strawberries, black eggplants, carrots and onions.
The association calculated the figures using average prices from April 18 to July 4, based on data from the agriculture ministry.
The Cyprus Consumers’ Association emphasises that the data points to a serious problem in the marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables, resulting in excessive increases in retail prices.
They urged the Competent Authorities to address this issue promptly, noting that it affects not only consumers during a prolonged period of high prices but also producers who are not fairly compensated according to the prices paid by consumers.
Indicatively, the Association mentions that from 1969 to 1998, maximum profit margins on the retail sale prices of fruits and vegetables were set by decrees and remained unchanged for 29 consecutive years.
“This leads to the conclusion that the profit margins set during that time were accepted and considered reasonable by all stakeholders,” they note.
Additionally, they point out that from 1991 to 1998, wholesale grocers were obliged to issue a receipt to producers within three days of the disposal of perishable goods, detailing the quantity, price, total amount received, and the commission deducted for their services, which averaged 15%.
