In the past first working week of November (October 30 – November 3), food prices in the stock markets and markets increased again for the second week in a row, and before that two weeks in a row became cheaper, and at the end of September wholesale prices increased for two weeks in a row.
It is noteworthy that 12 products included in the weekly bulletins of the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets (DKSBT) were more expensive a year ago at the same time, among them sunflower oil, the 125 gram packet of butter, fresh milk, lemons , bananas, greenhouse cucumbers, red pepper, and the wholesale prices of eggs are unchanged.
The weekly balance sheet
The wholesale prices of 15 of the 32 products included in the weekly bulletin of the DKSBT have increased, 14 have decreased and 3 are unchanged.
Most dairy and meat foods and pulses on commodity exchanges and auctions have become cheaper, with the price of type 500 flour falling the most, and the price of the 125 gram packet of butter increasing the most; in the case of fruits, most have become more expensive, with the price of oranges increasing the most, and the price of imported apples falling the most; in the case of vegetables, most have also become more expensive, with the price of green pepper increasing the most, and greenhouse tomatoes falling the most.
The wholesale market price index (WPI), which is maintained by the DKSBT, as of November 3 was 2,206 points, compared to 2,192 points as of October 27, or a weekly increase of 0.63% after an increase of 0.14 percent in the previous working week. Thus, in October, in two of the weeks, wholesale prices increased, and in two – they decreased in price.
The monthly balance sheet
shows that in January 2023 food prices on commodity markets increased by a total of 1.26%, in February the increase in prices accelerated to 6.04 percent, in March the first monthly decrease of the year was registered by 3.60%, in April a minimal increase in prices was recorded by 0.08 percent, in May a total decrease of 4.40% was registered, in June and July a decrease was recorded again by 3.47% and 3.36 percent, respectively. In August and September, wholesale prices rose by 2.40% and 1.10%, respectively. An increase of 0.27 percent was also recorded in October.
From the beginning of the year to November 3, wholesale food prices have fallen by 4.17%, and on an annual basis, compared to November 3, 2022, food on stock exchanges and markets have increased in price by 0.54 percent.
The price difference by area
again slightly increased compared to the levels of the previous fourth working week of October for most of the 10 basic foods that are monitored by the DKSBT in 14 regions of the country. The biggest price difference is BGN 11.35 for cow’s cheese (from BGN 5.65/kg in Dobrich to BGN 17.00/kg in Plovdiv), followed by a difference of BGN 8.65 (from BGN 11.35/kg in Blagoevgrad to BGN 20.00/ kg in Plovdiv), for minced meat the difference is 5.36 BGN (from 5.84 BGN/kg in Dobrich to 11.20 BGN/kg in Silistra), 4.50 BGN is the difference for frozen chicken (from 4.00 BGN/kg in Sofia to 8.50 BGN ./kg in Silistra), for sunflower oil the difference is BGN 3.64 (from BGN 2.25/liter in Haskovo to BGN 5.89/liter in Sofia), for rice the difference is BGN 2.50 (from BGN 2.50/kg in Plovdiv and Haskovo to BGN 5.00/kg in Dobrich), for ripe beans the difference is BGN 2.40 (from BGN 3.30/kg in Vratsa, Ruse and Sliven to BGN 5.70/kg in Silistra), sugar is BGN 1.30 (from BGN 1.70 ./kg in Burgas to BGN 3.00/kg in Plovdiv and Ruse), for type 500 flour the difference is BGN 1.12 (from BGN 0.78/kg in Vratsa to BGN 1.90/kg in Sofia), BGN 0.10 is the difference in eggs (from BGN 0.28/item in Dobrich to BGN 0.38/item in Sliven).
In the main meat, dairy foods and pulses
out of all 18 products included in the DKSBT bulletin, on a weekly basis 6 have increased in price, 10 have decreased in price, and 2 products have not changed in price, and the trend is within normal limits – from minus 4.3% to plus 3.3 percent, which is characteristic of the season for this food group.
The prices of the 125 gram packet of butter (+3.3% to BGN 2.52/piece) have risen the most, followed by eggs (+3.0% to BGN 0.34/piece), chicken sausages (+0.9% to BGN 5.75/kg) ), the durable cooked-smoked salami (+0.9% to BGN 11.50/kg), fresh milk over 3% fat content (+0.5% to BGN 2.19/liter).
The price of type 500 flour fell the most (-4.3% to BGN 1.35/kg), followed by sunflower oil (-3.7% to BGN 2.87/liter), frozen poly (-1.6% to BGN 6.34/kg ), lentils (-0.7% to BGN 4.17/kg), short-lived sausages, incl. ham (-0.6% to BGN 6.66/kg), ripe beans (-0.5% to BGN 4.12/kg), “Vitosha” cheese (-0.3% to BGN 17.35/kg).
Sugar (BGN 2.42/kg) and yogurt in a 400 gram bucket (BGN 1.15/unit) remain unchanged in price.
From the table above, it is clear that on an annual basis, most dairy, meat and other foods, incl. and pulses have become more expensive, but there are 8 products that have become cheaper; The price of sunflower oil has fallen by BGN 1.74, the price of a 125 gram packet of butter has dropped by BGN 0.24, the price of type 500 flour has dropped by BGN 0.10, the price of fresh milk has dropped by BGN 0.11, it has fallen by BGN 0.8 lowered the price of sugar.
At the fruits
which are included in the weekly bulletin of the DKSBT, the price increases are more, as within normal limits – from minus 5.8% to plus 4.1 percent, which is typical for this group of foods for the current season.
The prices of oranges increased the most (+4.1% to BGN 3.28/kg), followed by grapes (+0.9% to BGN 2.27/kg), bananas (+0.7% to BGN 2.91/kg). The prices of imported apples fell (-5.8% to BGN 1.80/kg) and lemons (-0.9% to BGN 2.29/kg).
The table above shows that at the same time last year in 2022, most fruits were cheaper compared to prices on November 3, 2023, except for bananas and lemons, with the biggest difference in imported apples and oranges .
With the vegetables
on a weekly basis, of those included in the DKSBT bulletin, most have increased in price, and the trend is quite wide – from minus 3.6% to plus 16.6 percent, which is not typical for this group of foods for the current season.
Green pepper prices rose the most (+16.6% to BGN 1.76/kg), followed by greenhouse cucumbers (+13.9% to BGN 2.29/kg), potatoes (+6.7% to BGN 1.28/kg), red pepper (+6.7% to BGN 2.22/kg), lettuce (+3.2% to BGN 0.98/piece), imported ripe onions (+2.1% to BGN 1.43/kg). There is no change in the price of cabbage (BGN 0.94/kg).
The prices of greenhouse tomatoes fell (-3.6% to BGN 3.26/kg) and carrots (-0.8% to BGN 1.03/kg).
From the table above, it is clear that on an annual basis, most vegetables have increased in price, with the exception of greenhouse cucumbers and red pepper. The biggest difference is the wholesale prices of greenhouse tomatoes (BGN 0.48), greenhouse cucumbers (BGN 0.21), potatoes (BGN 0.16).
