12.03.2024

IN ROMANIA, IT IS CHEAPER THAN IN BULGARIA, DESPITE THE INCREASE IN PRICES

The prices of basic foods in Romania have increased by 40 percent in the last three years. This is shown by the data of the National Statistical Institute, quoted by Digi24. The media noted that for eggs, chicken, oil, potatoes, flour and sugar, people are paying almost twice as much compared to 2021.

While Romania's National Institute of Statistics reports an 83 percent increase in the price of potatoes, people say a kilogram of the vegetable now costs them two or three times more. In a hypermarket in Bucharest, for example, the price starts from nearly 3.3 lei (BGN 1.31) and can reach almost 5 lei (BGN 2), BTA found. The price in the markets varies around 4 lei (BGN 1.6). In 2021, a kilogram of potatoes was 1.77 lei (0.70 BGN cents).

The same situation occurs with other basic food products, notes Digi24, referring to the data of the National Statistical Institute. Chicken meat has increased in price by 81 percent in 3 years, tomatoes - by 55 percent. And if three years ago Romanians paid about 50 lei (BGN 20) for a basket full of a kilogram of chicken, one kilogram of tomatoes, one kilogram of potatoes, one sugar, a package of flour, a bottle of oil, one juice and 10 eggs, now the bill exceeds 80 lei (BGN 31).

According to local economists, the increase in prices also comes from the fact that by importing a lot of food, Romania also "imports" inflation from the countries where the goods come from.

"Romania still produces enough to fully ensure domestic consumption of only two food products: eggs and sheep meat. For the rest, we are in the hands of imports," commented Christian Paun, professor of economics.

Recently, a team from the television show "Agro Journal" on Digi24 TV made a comparison of prices between Romania and Bulgaria and found that salaries are lower in our country, but food products are more expensive.

The journalistic check in one of the large chain stores in Sofia showed that a bottle of oil is BGN 2.50, a kilogram of sugar - BGN 2.59, two kilograms of flour - BGN 3.49.

For comparison, in a large supermarket in Bucharest, 2 packages of flour are sold for 5.70 lei (2.28 BGN), a bottle of oil costs 5.99 lei (2.39 BGN), and a kilogram of sugar is 4.45 lei (BGN 1.78).