Price of basic foods became more expensive in 2022, according to information released by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Several products commonly eaten during lunch, dinner and breakfast increased significantly. Onion’s value skyrocketed more than 100%, while milk, butter, bananas, papaya and beans rose more than 20%: milk (+25.4%), butter (23%), bread (18.3%), beans (20%), eggs (18%) and potatoes (29%) and even some fruits and vegetables became more expensive in 2022.
An increase in the price of raw materials used by farmers help explain that. Some producers even planted less because of the high costs. Hence, there was also a reduction in offer, moving prices up even more.
Impact on the Poor
Increases in food prices are significant to the large poor population of Brazil, where 33.1 million Brazilians have nothing to eat, according to research released by Rede Penssan. This means that, according to the data collected, 15.5% of the Brazilian population feels hungry and does not eat due to lack of money.
Social Aids
Data from a survey about the use of resources provided to the population through Auxílio Brasil, a social benefit, reinforce information given by the Rede Penssan’s research. According to a Datafolha survey carried out on the 20 and 21 December, among the beneficiaries of this social program, 76% say that the money goes mainly to buy food. Paying off debts comes in second at 11%. In both cases, the percentages are the same as in the previous survey, carried out at the end of September. Buying medicine appears with 5%, compared to 6% in the previous survey. The option to buy gas remained at 2%.
The total number of beneficiaries of the social program, which in 2023 will be renamed Bolsa Família, reached 21.6 million. The number of beneficiaries of Vale-Gás, which is bimonthly, decreased from 5.98 million in October to 5.95 million in December, according to the Ministry of Citizenship.
