Basic food costs climb again in August with ‘saimini’ price way up

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Ramen noodles has the greatest price increase for August and is one of the thirteen food commodities, which contributed to the 3.4% increase in the Basic Food Index (BFI) for August over the month of July 2022, according to the BFI report for August released over the weekend by the Commerce Department’s Statistical & Analysis Division.

According to the report, ramen increased in price 14.7% from the previous month of July, during which this food item hiked 3.0% from June. And ramen has also increased in price in previous months and at least five residents contacted by Samoa News over the weekend confirmed that ramen prices have slowly increased “over the past months”.

Besides ramen, the other food commodities that increased in August are chicken legs (9.6%), soda (4.2%), eggs (3.4%), taro (2.1%), fish (1.7%), banana (1.7%), rice (1.1%), tuna (1.0%), butter (0.9%), milk (0.6%), mayonnaise (0.4%) and bread (0.1%).

Two food commodities (sugar and water) remained constant throughout August. Five food commodities decreased in August: pork spare ribs (-2.0%), sausage (-1.9%), ice cream (-1.8%), turkey tail (-1.6%), and corned beef (-0.8%), according to the report.

DOC notes that the trend in BFI and food costs continued to rapidly climb in the last twelve months. An annual comparison of the current BFI to the same month of last year shows that basic food costs had increased by 24.8%: an average of about a 2.1% monthly increase per month over the past twelve months.

The BFI is a monthly rapid assessment of basic food item prices that monitors the cost and availability of 20 food products in the community. And 14 large to mid-size retail stores have been selected for monitoring basic food costs.

Consumers, who spoke with Samoa News over the weekend, said that they have noticed the increase the cost of several basic food items since the beginning of the month. And they are questioning whether this qualifies as “price gouging” on island. Samoa News provided these customers with the contact information to the Consumer Protection Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office to file a complaint, so there “is a record”.

A senior ASG official yesterday reminds the business community, especially stores, that price gouging remains prohibited, as the territory continues in a “State of Emergency” in accordance with the COVID declaration.