Ricardo Salazar, leader of the Defensoría del Consumidor, warned that sanctions, which could reach up to 500 minimum wages, will be imposed on those establishments where price increases without legal justification are found.

The inspections began in the agroservices of San Vicente. "This action is crucial due to the importance of more than 80 essential products in agriculture, such as fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides and foliar products", explained Salazar.

With the onset of the winter rains in the first weeks of may, basic grains farmers begin preparing their land for planting corn, beans, rice and sorghum, especially in the central and western regions of the country, while those in the eastern zone wait until august to plant, after the heat wave, thus minimizing the risk of drought.

Starting this year, the Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería (MAG) will replace the traditional agricultural packages with a US$75 voucher, which will allow subsidized farmers to purchase the necessary inputs in agroservices.

The MAG argues that the change from packages to vouchers gives producers more flexibility to select the most appropriate inputs for their crops, rather than limiting them to certain improved corn and bean seeds.

Translated by: A.M