Regional bid to halt continued food price hikes

Sr Puig will try to reach agreement to establish ‘reasonable measures’ to help shoppers

REGIONAL president Ximo Puig announced that he will continue to meet with food distribution sector chiefs to ‘try to find an agreement’ to halt the rise in prices.

The national government – which is also a coalition fronted by the Socialist party (PSOE), like in Valencia – has already rejected a proposal to cap the price of basic food items.

Sr Puig said this week, while on a visit to Berlin to boost tourism, that he will see the private sector bosses on his return.

He revealed that he has been holding meetings ‘for months’, ‘talking to the distributors in order to find common ground to help families’ and particularly people surviving on the lowest incomes.

Valencia’s president recognised that inflation ‘is a serious problem’ which ‘does not affect everyone in the same way’.

“It is the worst kind of tax for the workers and middle classes,” he said.

In his next meeting he will try to find agreement to establish ‘reasonable measures’ that can be brought in.

At the same time, he will be ‘putting out a clear message to halt price rises’.

Any plan that is put in place cannot cause harm to farmers and primary producers, he added.

No to price cap

Last week the national government vowed to take ‘the necessary measures’ after inflation rose by 6.1% in February – up from 5.9% the previous month.

Agriculture and food minister, Luis Planas said they would ‘study in depth’ the causes of the increase.

Sr Planas stated that the fall in production prices – brought about by the decrease in electricity and fuel costs in recent months – ‘has to’ lead to a reduction in food prices.

However, ‘inflation comes in quickly and goes out slowly’, he noted.

The minister is against the proposal of their partners in government, Unidas Podemos, who want to see price capping on basic food items.