Bolivian Housewives Struggle as Vegetable Prices Soar

Rising Vegetable Prices Hit Bolivian Households Amidst Fuel Shortages and Blockades Santa Cruz, Bolivia – Housewives in Santa Cruz are feeling the pinch as vegetable prices soar, forcing them to cut back on essential food items. The crisis stems from ongoing fuel shortages and blockades that have severely disrupted transportation and supply chains across the region. "The price of potatoes has gone from 60 to 150 Bolivianos per arroba," explained one vendor at the Mercado Abasto Antiguo. "It's due to the gasoline issue; there's no diesel to transport the produce." This sentiment was echoed by a housewife interviewed at the market: "Our small salaries don't cover it anymore. We buy less; it's a lot more expensive." She described struggling to make ends meet with the fluctuating prices, buying only enough for one day at a time. The situation underscores the vulnerability of low-income households to economic shocks and the cascading effects of fuel shortages on food security. The government's response and potential solutions to alleviate this crisis remain to be seen.