Breaks in the production of vegetables let diet more expensive for the consumer

Be vegetarian or maintain a balanced diet is becoming increasingly difficult, and it''s not for lack of will. Throughout 2015 and earlier this year, consumers watched a skyrocketing prices of some vegetables. In some cases, such as the tomato, the average price of pound in January, R$ 6.79, surpassed that of chicken meat, R$ 6.16.
Cabbage, onion, cucumber and beetroot were other cultures who also no longer fit on the plate to weigh in your pocket. In Paraná, last year, the price of these products has increased more than 50%, according to data from the State Department of agriculture and supply (Seab).
In recent months, the chef Vladimir Scanavaca, owner of the Gourmet vegetarian restaurant Mahatma, in Curitiba, saw monthly spending with vegetables R$ 4 1000 up to 7 1000 R$. Not to pass the Bill straight to the customers, the chef has adopted strategies how to use more seasonal products and revamping the menu. "If before we had all elaborate dishes, today we make a percentage simplest dishes to ease prices," says. "Prices are absurd, everything has gone up," complains.

Little production
The increase in the cost of production and the lowest offer of products caused by adverse weather conditions, were the main responsible for the escalation of prices, according to Erick de Brito Farias, Manager of Modernization of the market Hortigranjeiro by the national supply company (Conab). "When you have too much rain gets in the way. When you don''t have too. It was the scenario we had both in the planting and harvesting of some cultures, "he says.
The Paraná produces 2.9 million tons of conventional vegetables a year, being 1.1 million (t) in the metropolitan region of Curitiba (RMC). The main crops of the State are potatoes (29% of production), cabbage (11%), tomatoes (9%), carrots (5%), onions (5%) and lettuce (4%).
According to the agronomist Iniberto Hamerschmidt, State Coordinator of Olericulture of Emater, the onion, for example, suffered with the rains from planting to harvest. "Our expectation for onion crop was 128 1000 tons. Only 100 1000 were taken, a 21%, "he says. "In the case of tomatoes and cabbage, the excess rains also was instrumental in scarcity of products," he adds.
The producer Jose Alvino Ronkoski, Campo Largo, at RMC, tomatoes, lettuce and cabbage. He says that the rains this year have ruined crops, and what''s left has been contaminated by diseases and pests. "We had to increase spending on supplies, quoted in dollars, to produce little," he says.
However, who has managed to plant and harvest a good product not suffered losses. Márcio Alex, producer of onions and other produce in Thin Field, also in the metropolitan region, reveals that had a 20 percent loss, but that got good prices. "If I had lost half of it planted, would still have a profit. Who got a good product, sold well, "he says.