Producers and union representatives explain that, although it is still expected market supply, large volumes are not expected. In parallel, the mid-year rains they beat the crops in key areas, complicating a campaign already strained by lack of funding and high costs.
What's happening with demand?
The contraction in consumption is closely linked to the low purchasing power of families. In this context, spending is prioritized towards products with a greater presence in daily cooking, so that potatoes and onions and tomatoes maintain a relatively higher rotation compared to other vegetables.
By contrast, items such as zucchini, broccoli or lettuce They have lost weight in the shopping basket. This isn't just a matter of preferences, but of forced budget adjustments: demand is focused on essentials and reducing the variety that was once common in homes.
Production and sowing down
From the field, producers describe a general decline in the planting vegetables and greens awarded by the absence of credit and working capitalThis situation is especially acute in the Andean states, historically driving forces of the horticultural sector.
In those regions, around the 80% of the crops correspond to family farmingThe investments, which typically range between $1.000 and $3.000 per hectare, are made with their own resources, a practice that the union describes as working "on their own two feet," and which leaves farmers highly exposed to any setback.
Impact of rains in Andean areas
Between June and July there was rainfall that affected states such as Mérida, Táchira and TrujilloIndustry estimates point to losses of at least 150 hectares, with a direct impact on some 300 farming families.
The blow was especially hard on vegetables due to their high perishability in stormsWhen rainfall is heavy, the risks multiply: field damage, logistical difficulties, and accelerated product deterioration, resulting in less marketable volume.
Prices, costs and availability
The lack of liquidity and financing is coupled with another pressure: in many cases, the selling price at the farm gate It doesn't cover production costs. This complicates the equation for replenishing supplies and ensuring the next planting season.
Even with an adverse outlook, the union predicts that there will be no shortages, although he warns that supply will not be abundant. This fragile balance could translate into greater volatility, both in quantities and prices, especially if episodes of heavy rain occur repeatedly.
What households buy now
The horticultural basket is becoming more basic. Potatoes, onions and tomatoes They concentrate most of the movement in markets and shops, while other vegetables lose presence due to the need to adjust spending.
This change in purchasing patterns, together with the reduction in planting, feeds back into the 60% drop In consumption: less purchasing power limits demand and, in turn, discourages the production of varieties with lower turnover.
Sector Outlook
Recovery will depend on opening avenues for financing for working capital, as well as the climate stability in the coming cycles. Any improvement in productivity and logistics would help stabilize supply.
However, the agricultural sector insists that the room for manoeuvre is narrow if the costs exceed perceived pricesWithout credit and with investments made directly by families, the pace of production recovery will necessarily be gradual.
The picture that the producers draw is that of a market that It is adjusted by demand and supply: less household income, fewer crops, occasional losses due to rain, and a limited final supply. The priority, they agree, is to sustain production with financing and improve consumer access to a varied diet of vegetables.
