Ginger Shortage Sparks Price Surge Across Belize

A shortage of ginger on the local market has caused a surge in prices across the country. Reports are that the price per pound has doubled, and in some areas, even tripled as demand outstrips supply. Reporter Benjamin Flowers has been following this story and files the following report.

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: Whether it’s being used for cooking delicious meals, making refreshing drinks, or for its medicinal properties, ginger is a common ingredient in many Belizean kitchens. But recently shoppers have been grappling with a major price hike. Before the shortage, ginger sold for between $4 and $7 per pound. Now, the average vendor is charging between $14 and $17 a pound. Andrew Medina, Director of Extensions for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise says the shortage is a seasonal issue that the ministry is looking at.

 Andrew Medina, Director of Extensions for the Ministry of Agriculture: “While we have farmers who are experienced in producing this commodity, we are still finding out that certain periods in the year there is a shortage. And that shortage has caused prices to go up around this time specifically every year. So it’s something that the Ministry of Agriculture continues to monitor and make adjustments to our planting calendar to ensure that consumers are not feeling the pinch every summer because that’s the period where we notice that the prices skyrocket.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: The shortage is linked to the specific conditions needed for growing ginger and the small production window for the commodity. 

 Andrew Medina, Director of Extensions for the Ministry of Agriculture: “Ginger is a commodity that can only be planted planted at a certain time of the year. So for example it has been planted. Now the window is very short to plant ginger. So what that does is that when the production comes in, the window of production is also limited. So between the time of production where there is plenty on the market and to the time when production starts again, when the production cycle resumes, that is where we have a problem because now there is almost zero ginger in the market.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: We visited the Michael Finnegan Market, supermarkets and vegetable vendors across Belize City to learn more about the situation. Many vendors did not have ginger for sale. Shoppers told us that they have either drastically reduced the amount of ginger they buy or stopped buying it altogether. One Ladyville entrepreneur said that the price increase is hurting her juice business. 

Entrepreneur: “First of all, I shop at the market because in Ladyville ginger is $25 a pound. At the market it’s only $15 a pound. I  make juice, beet juice and it has in ginger.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: How are you handling the current spike in the price of ginger? 

Entrepreneur: “Well, it’s very hard because now it’s taking the price of my juice up because it’s too expensive.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: But it’s not just shoppers that’s feeling the pinch. Many vendors say they have no choice but to sell at a high price  because the wholesale price has gone up dramatically. One vendor told us she stopped selling ginger because it was no longer profitable. 

Entrepreneur:  “Ginger went up very high the last few months about fifteen dollars a pound and we find it very difficult to sell it because the customers don’t want to buy it for $15 a pound, right? They want to buy it for like $5 a pound and then we lose like that, right? So we stop buy it, we stop buy the ginger and sell it. Before ginger was about $7 a pound.  Yeah, $7 a pound. We could have afford that then and we used to have customers that came in and bought it regularly.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: We’ve learned that in Punta Gorda town, prices are still within the range of $7 to $10. But shoppers and vendors in Belmopan, San Pedro and Corozal Town have all confirmed prices around $14 and up. While some customers complain others have simply adjusted. One Dangriga vendor told us that despite the elevated costs, customers are still coming to her to buy more. 

Entrepreneur: “Right now in the table I have it $12.00.”

Harry Arzu, Dangriga Correspondent: Alright, now where do you buy ginger? 

Entrepreneur: “They come and sell it.”

Harry Arzu, Dangriga Correspondent: They come and sell it? 

Entrepreneur: “Yeah. I buy it right now right now I have it on table at $12.00 or so.”

Harry Arzu, Dangriga Correspondent:  And people are buying?

Entrepreneur: “Yeah.”

Harry Arzu, Dangriga Correspondent:  People come to buy? 

Entrepreneur: “Yes.”

Harry Arzu, Dangriga Correspondent: Do they have any issue with the price? 

Entrepreneur: “Well no, because they sell it at good price.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: Many consumers are urging the Ministry of Agriculture to find a solution. One intervention being considered is to supplement local demand with imported ginger. 

 Andrew Medina, Director of Extensions for the Ministry of Agriculture:“That is the number one that we’re looking at to see how we can fill the gap with importation of this commodity when it becomes scarce. We are doing it with all the other sensitive commodities, carrots, potatoes,  onions. We are doing that and it’s something that we will look at to do with ginger. But regardless of that the ministry is also looking at the possibility of doing more post-harvest exercises with these farmers to ensure that when the production is in abundance the farmers will be able to store the product and release them when we have scarcity like we’re having now.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: However, the ministry’s interventions are still in the planning stage and Belizeans will have to put up with these higher prices until the issue is resolved. Benjamin Flowers, for Love News.