over 40% for clams and prawns
It will be a Christmas for the few in terms of consumption. In particular at the table: given the soaring prices, the big dinner for a family it is announced to be “over a third” more expensive than last year. Fish, the main food of Christmas Eve, is expected to increase on average by 40%, and is becoming an almost “luxury” commodity.
There are many, too many, the triggering factors of the escalation: “From war to speculation, from high energy prices to climate change, high temperatures have led to a shortage of fish”, explain trade associations, suppliers and experts in the fish sector.
But on everything there are two facts. First: the purchasing power at the dinner table for ’22 is at its lowest in recent history for the now almost former middle class. Second: price increases are often “less than the Resistance, which is 10%”. In short, for the vast majority of Neapolitan families, a dinner with is announced prawns, clams and octopus counted on the plates.
The list of price increases covers practically the entire catch. It only saves the capitone, in essence, whose prices are unchanged. Octopus, prawns, cod, lobster, clams: everything else costs an average of 40% more, according to the estimates of the associations. The clam farmed last year cost 16 a kilo. This year it is no less than 20, explain from Confesercenti Campania. It’s worse for the true ones, who – they inform from Fipe Confcommercio – in 2022 they pay up to 60 euros compared to around 40 last year. The ostrich last year they cost 8 euros per kg – Confesercenti still estimates – today at least 4 euros more. Prawns caught red in 1921 cost 65 euros per kg. This year it sells for about 80. On the lobster the increase reaches almost 20 euros per kilo. For the octopus and the squid nationally the increase is similar and significant: last year it was sold at 20 euros per kg. This year at 28.
Also soaring due to the cost of the packaging: a polystyrene box for 3 kilos of fish on Christmas ’22 costs 60 cents. Last year the merchants paid him 20 cents. All of this is producing a collapse in business that exceeds 20%. Climate change, speculation, the cost of oil and, detached from the others, discovery: the list of causes of the “frugal” dinner, argued by trade associations, is well nourished.
«The price of oil has a great influence on price increases – he observes Vincenzo Schiavo, president of Confesercenti Campania and vice president of national Confesercenti – For fishermen, fuel costs twice as much as last year. The same goes for packaging, plastic, cardboard and ice. We note this increase not only on fish, but on all “Christmas” foods. Raw materials alone increased by 30%. Times are not easy for traders, who are facing last month’s scrapping and in many cases are indebted to banks. The government should lighten the burden of taxes for entrepreneurs, today at 60%».
«The cost of dinner for a family will rise by 30% – he explains Massimo Di Porzio, president of Fipe Campania – 120 euros will be spent per person, last year it was around 90. Compared to what it cost in November, at the end of December fish is 40% more expensive. There is also a certain amount of speculation, to which must be added the general increase in the fish market compared to last year, which jumped by 25%. The suppliers also complain about problems related to climate change, which have not led to the arrival of real winter temperatures: it’s 22 degrees, and consequently there is a lack of fish and raw materials on the shelves. In other words, the supply is in some cases lower than the demand».
There are people in fishmongers, but not like in previous years. Beloved Rosary is the owner of Fish Market, one of the historic genepesche of Vomero, between the Antignano market and via Giordano: «I pay 3,600 euros a month for electricity, against 1,200 in 1921 – he says – Business is proceeding these days, but less of last Christmas. 12 months ago we paid 190 euros for the 25 kg Norwegian dried cod, of top quality. Today 300. Our margin is reduced to 5 euros. Even the salmon: we bought it at 38 euros per kg, against 27 in ’21. We hope to recover a little, but if taxes and bills don’t drop, we won’t get out of it». «We are at war – adds the lady Concetta Aiello by Atlantico Fish – The ships are not arriving, we are missing the main products. We’re trying to keep prices unchanged, but compared to last Christmas we’re selling at least 25% less: people keep the bread from the day before, and maybe that’s right. You will understand well that the situation is really alarming ».