The price of carrots doubled in one month

Currently, a kilogram of carrots costs 730 Hungarian forints, marking an 89% increase compared to July prices. While it’s usual for carrot prices to drop after April and then rise again towards July, this year’s dramatic price surge is even more pronounced than usual. Carrots have become the food item experiencing the most significant price increase in Hungary. This substantial rise in price is due to a shortage of carrots across Europe. In various regions, fewer carrots were planted this year, and in the Netherlands, drought has severely diminished the harvest. Even if later plantings help alleviate the situation, carrot prices might still decrease by only 15-25% – as stated by an expert to RTL. For other vegetables, a much smaller expected price decrease is anticipated. Interestingly, the price of onions increased by 73% and cabbage by 23% compared to last year. The cause is the situation faced by domestic producers, who are forced to procure necessary items like machinery, seeds, and fertilizers from abroad at high prices.

In July of this year, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) measured an inflation rate of 17.1% in Hungary. While this is 2.5% lower than June’s rate of currency depreciation, neighboring countries such as Romania, Croatia, and Slovenia had an inflation rate below 10% in the spring months.