The food basket prepared by the office of the National Coordination of Food Security and the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (CNSA/MARNDR) is composed of products that reflect the food preferences of individuals or households. It is composed : of cereals (rice, maize, wheat) represent 66% (1000 kcal) of the basket, of beans, of sugar and cooking oil (Figure 1). Of a caloric intake of nearly 32% (over 500 kcal), rice is the food most representative. Other cereals (maize, wheat) and sugar, each make 17%. Fats and peas are poorly represented (only 11 and 6% respectively).

Evolution of the cost of food basket :

After a rebound of over 10% between January and February 2012 due to major changes in the price of beans (21%) and cooking oil (over 32%), the cost of food basket has shown a tendency negative, from March to May (Figure 2). It varied from nearly -4%, from 939.74 gourdes in February to 892.1 gourdes in March. This trend continued in April and May, although more weakly : -1.3 and -2.1%, respectively.

For the month of May 2012, the basket price has dropped on almost all markets and significantly on those of Jacmel (-6.13%), Fond des Nègres (-3.8%), Hinche (-3%) and Ouanaminthe (-2.9%). The decline and the price stability of certain imported products (especially rice and cooking oil) and of price of beans, locally produced, are responsible of this decline.

However, except for Fond des Nègres, the basket cost more in these markets. Its cost is also high on the markets of other cities like Port de Paix (Northwest), Gonaïves (Artibonite), Cap-Haitien (North) and Les Cayes (South). Moreover, the cost of food basket is higher than that of the period January/May 2011.

A fall of nearly 7%, between January 2011 and the January 2012, was observed. The price of the food basket has increased the following month (more than 5%) and, from March to May 2012, has stabilized around an average of 2.3% over 2011. This suggests that, from February to May 2012, the food basket was more expensive, less accessible, compared to last year, at the same time.

HL/ HaitiLibre