At the public market in Santiago, people who live off meat are going through tough days. Butchers and sellers warn that the price of live cattle and pigs has gone up, and that has them against the wall, trying to keep the business alive while competition grows everywhere.
Edwin Hernández, a butcher at the market, said the price hike is scaring away profits and leaving less margin to work calmly. "Costs are rising and that affects us quite a bit, because we have to maintain quality and continue to offer fresh meat, as people look for it," he explained.
Alfonso Sánchez, another one who gets up early between knives and hooks, explained that despite everything, the price for the consumer remains accessible. "People still come because here the meat is fresh, quality and with a guarantee," he said.
The public market in Santiago continues to be the point of trust for the families of Veraguas who want freshly slaughtered meat, with that artisanal touch that cannot be found in any frozen aisle.
And among so much concern, good news also arrived for the holidays: the new guandú has already appeared. Producer Grisel Concepción, from El Pedregoso (Santa Fe), reported that the traditional grain is already for sale. "The bag is at B/.3.00, it is fresh, quality guandú, direct from our hands to the consumer's table," she said, remembering that demand skyrockets when Christmas and New Year approach.
Traders ask the authorities to review what is driving the increase in live cattle and pigs, because if this continues, keeping fresh meat on the people's table will become increasingly difficult.
But he affirms that the fight is unequal when it comes to competing with large supermarkets. "They handle enormous volumes, one works here daily, on pure physical strength."
