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The cost of the basic food basket per family increased in june 2016 compared to may in both rural and urban areas, according to data from the Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos (ONEC) of the Banco Central de Reserva (BCR). The increase was more significant in rural areas, where household spending saw the largest price hike during the period.
In rural areas, the monthly cost of the basic food basket rose from US$185.51 in may to US$189.56 in june, representing an increase of US$4.05 per family. Similarly, the daily cost increased from US$6.18 to US$6.32, reflecting greater pressure on rural household budgets.
The increase was primarily driven by higher prices for frequently consumed products such as tortillas, meat, eggs, and milk, while beans saw a price reduction that helped to partially moderate the overall increase, although it was not enough to prevent the overall cost from rising.
Meanwhile, in urban areas, the basic food basket also saw an increase, although less than that observed in rural areas. The monthly cost rose from US$258.22 in may to US$259.95 in june, equivalent to an increase of US$1.74. Similarly, daily spending per family increased from US$8.61 to US$8.67.
In this case, the products that most contributed to the price increase were tortillas, meat, milk, and vegetables, while beans showed a slight decrease. Despite this reduction, the overall trend continued to be an increase in food costs.
A comparison between the two periods shows that neither area registered a reduction in the total cost of the basic food basket. The rural area saw the greatest price increase, with a rise of more than four dollars per family, while the urban area registered an increase of less than two dollars. Among the products that decreased in price and helped to partially contain the rise were beans, which were present in both baskets.
This behavior is also related to the most recent results of the Índice de Precios al Consumidor (IPC), whose annual inflation rate was 2.76% in june 2016. According to the Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas y Censos (ONEC) among the products and services that exerted the most upward pressure on prices were air travel, premium gasoline, regular gasoline, lunches, and fertilizers. In contrast, products such as raw beans, tomatoes, new vehicles, and powdered milk helped to moderate inflation.
The data reflect that the largest increases were concentrated in everyday food items, especially tortillas, meat, eggs, milk, and other basic products, which increased the spending of Salvadoran families during june. Although some items saw price decreases, the overall result was an increase in the cost of basic goods in both rural and urban areas, with the impact being strongest for rural households.
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