A simple walk around an open-air market is enough to see the steep upwards trajectory of prices, with watermelon going for 1 euro/kg, tomatoes for €2.50/kg and green beans for €5/kg.
Fruit prices in August jumped 10.6% year-on-year and those of vegetables by 17.5%, while they increased by 14.15% and 12.04%, respectively, from January to August.
In fact, prices are increasing this year at a faster rate than last year, though production costs have decreased since 2022.
This is largely attributed to the psychological factors driving the price hikes, which have been exacerbated by that the recent floods, and the fact that competition does not work in the local market.
Source: Ekathimerini
