A. M. 
More than 125,000 quintals of white corn have entered El Salvador in recent weeks, according to daily import reports from the Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador. This information, cited by the Defensoría del Consumidor, indicates that the supply of the grain remains normal in the national market.
The agency’s president, Ricardo Salazar, explained that, in addition to the influx of imported product, the country recently experienced a positive and abundant harvest, which contributes to maintaining favorable supply conditions.
The official also indicated that, so far, prices for other staple grains, such as rice and beans, have remained stable. He added that, in the case of beans, price reductions have even been recorded in various markets across the country.
Salazar explained that the steady flow of imports demonstrates that there is no corn shortage that would justify recent price increases. In some retail outlets, the price of a quintal of corn has exceeded US$25, a price increase that authorities consider irregular given historical prices and current market conditions.
Given this situation, the Defensoría del Consumidor continues to conduct verification operations at companies involved in the import, processing, and marketing of staple grains. One such operation was carried out at Global Alimentos, located in the district of San Juan Opico.
According to the agency, these inspections aim to gather information on import volumes, acquisition costs, and other expenses related to corn marketing, in order to determine if there is a technical justification for the price variations observed in recent weeks.
To date, the Defensoría del Consumidor has inspected 35 companies linked to the staple grain supply chain. These actions are part of a national market surveillance plan that, according to the agency, has already resulted in more than 6,200 verifications nationwide.
Authorities reminded the public that unjustified price increases can result in fines of up to 500 minimum wages, as they are considered a very serious offense. According to the agency, more than 160 fines have already been issued for various irregularities detected in the market, totaling over US$930,000.
Finally, the Defensoría del Consumidor urged the public to report sudden price increases by calling 910 or through its WhatsApp channel, as part of consumer protection mechanisms.
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