Headlines:
| J'ans feeling the pinch of rising food prices |
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| Monday, 05 May 2008 | |
 From Africa to Asia across the globe, people are reeling from a shortage
of food and Jamaica and the Caribbean region are no exceptions. One has only to visit local shops, wholesales and supermarkets to hear what has now become a constant cry. Jamaicans from all walks of life are experiencing hardship as a dollar can no longer stretch as far as it used to and basic food items slip further and further away from their grasp. On a visit to a corner shop in down town Kingston, RJR News' Keisha-Ann Sleight met Andrew, a father of three who lives with his extended family. A regular shopper at the small establishment, Andrew confessed that it was not unusual in the past to see him making two or three trips to the shop each day. However, he said with the price of the basics such as rice, flour and chicken soaring, he makes fewer trips and tries cheaper alternatives. "Like rice, maybe a $15 gone on (on it), but you have to smart as a downtown yute, sometime yuh by a carna shop but when the weekend come, yuh guh a wholesale and yuh get it a little bit cheaper." He says although he is not distressed by the rising costs it is a concern. Andrew said living with his extended family helps a lot, as each person contributes to the family pot. However, he said even in this setting cutting back is key. However unlike Andrew, many persons do not have added help from family, instead they have to go it alone. Uptown/downtown prices 
Sophie, 34, a civil servant who is pregnant with her first child is one
of those persons. A regular down town Kingston whole sale shopper, Sophie said she is now convinced that bulk shopping no longer makes a difference. Obviously a wiz at comparing prices Sophie said she has found that costs have skyrocketed at the wholesale and this forced her to join the lines at the supermarket. She said gone are the days when you would leave the wholesale with a month's worth of grocery and have still pocket change. "What I realize is that when I shop at the wholesales, and I go to the supermarkets uptown, I realize that some of the wholesale prices are higher than the supermarkets. When I see that happen, I don't' go back to the wholesale to shop," "Sometimes, most times when I get fed up I just guh supermarket an pick up everything one time because it don't mek sense yuh struggle with the load from down here and when yuh guh back uptown and compare the prices ah di same ting ... down here is little more expensive than uptown suh its easier yuh just shop inna di supermarket, buy yuh ground provisions in dere and everything," said Sophie. More money, fewer items 
Keisha also met Bridgette
a house wife in the produce section of a popular supermarket.She was doing her weekly shopping. Armed with her list she said she was planning to spend $4,000 ... more than would be required for her to stock up on goods just a week ago. Carefully selecting the items she drops in her trolly, Bridgette said in recent times she has left with one or two bags less than usual. However, even with less being bought she still has to struggle to find on average $4,000 to $5,000 a week to feed her family. "Yuh get fewer items but yuh spending more ... so if I use to by three bottles of oil, I can only by one or two." She said adjusting, revamping and constant fixing her budget has become a tedious past time. Everyone feels the pinch, as even her children are briefed that many of their favourites have to be cut from the grocery list. As she stretches to take a bottle of cooking oil from the shelf, Bridgette said the situation is by no means easy. "It's hard, I'm not feeling good about it because basically you go to the supermarket the least you (are suppose) to be able to do is buy your food and be comfortable ... you can't buy any luxury items anymore, just the basic things." Sardines, flour, cornmeal, salt fish and some other essentials make up her purchases. Bridgette walked away with two bags of grocery. As she handed the cashier the money and collected her receipt she said the day was not so good. She has spent almost $4,000 and this is before buying her weekly stock of meats. But these shoppers are not the only ones who are feeling the pinch. Speaking to persons in the Corporate Area on the issue, many admitted they just did not know what to do. "It ruff, very ruff but yuh just have to cope and spend less." "Things very expensive, I don't know why it gone that way but you just have to cope." "We have to be taking what's priority because it's so high, you just have to buy the necessary things that you need." "It's very hard on everyone, luckily I don't have any children ... what you have to do is work on a budget, try to get the necessary things and leave what is not necessary." No cassava 
During his
budget presentation at the end of April, Agriculture Minister Dr. Christopher
Tufton suggested that cultivation of our own foods would ease the distress
caused by rising food prices.One food he highlighted was Cassava, known by most Jamaicans as the starchy food that is pressed to make bammies. But many Jamaicans said cassava is not a relevant option. "It ruff, an mi nuh grow pon cassava, mi grow pon rice and flour, and wi naw return ... every thing get expensive,' said one man. "Government need fi come up wid a new plan, dis sound like a cartoon ting ... dem cyah tell people bout cassava, come on these are modern days (and) they need to find a solution to the problem," said one woman. Another man said, "yuh a tell somebaddy fi guh plant cassava, cassava a summen whey poison yuh if yuh nuh know wha yuh a duh ... a nuh everybody know bout cassava ... him cudda sey guh plant some carrot. Him outtadda, ah disrespect him a disrespect wi deh suh." Many Jamaicans accept that going back to the soil to get one's daily bread, maybe the only option in the face of escalating food prices. However, they are still waiting to hear how this will work. |