It is possible that these days, when you go to the market, the prices of the products that make up the Day of the Dead offering leave you cold. Well, some elements such as fruit, candles and bread that adorn the memory of loved ones have risen between 10% and 69% in the last year. How much does it cost to put up an altar for the ‘faithful departed’ this year? Discover it here.
The war in Ukraine, the drought, the shortage of supplies such as glass and cardboard and other problems derived from the covid-19 pandemic are taking their toll on this Mexican tradition, ANPEC considered.
let’s start with the fruit
These days, a kilo of medium Valencia orange is sold at 10.5 pesos per kilo in the Iztapalapa supply center, guava, also used in some altars for the dead, is sold at 15 pesos per kilo. The Golden Delicious apple costs 37.89 pesos pesos in the central.
But in October 2021, the same kilo of orange cost almost half . Well, according to data from the Ministry of Economy, it was sold at 5.50 pesos per kilo, at the Iztapalapa supply center. In fact, on average, the Ministry of Agriculture estimates an annual increase of 69.9% for this product.
Guava cost 2 pesos less than today, as it was sold at 13 pesos per kilo, while the golden apple from Chihuahua was sold at 35.80 pesos per kilo at the Iztapalapa plant, about two pesos less than today.
Sugar, how much does it cost now?
Cane sugar is also an essential element for the production of products such as sweet skulls. But the price of sugar, according to government data, has had an increase of 25.7% compared to October 2021. Now it is sold for 18.77 pesos per kilogram, on average, nationwide.
Drought and war made cempasuchil flowers more expensive
For there is still no official data on how much its price increased, on average. But the National Alliance of Small Producers recorded a significant rise. For example, the bouquet (between four and five flowers) that was sold for up to 5 pesos in 2021, is now sold for 20 pesos.
This is due to the replenishment of the demand for flowers, after the total reopening of the pantheons, once the worst part of the covid-19 pandemic has been overcome. But it is not the only reason, this year’s drought and the rise in inputs for agriculture also affected the costs of producers in Morelos, Puebla and the State of Mexico, explained Cuauhtémoc Rivera, president of ANPEC.
Consulting other sources, it is observed that last year a bunch was offered at 100 pesos at the Central de Abasto de Iztapalapa, in Mexico City, according to information from the National System of Information and Integration of Markets of the Ministry of Economy. A bunch is equivalent to a set of flowers of between 12 and 15 pieces, which is in line with ANPEC monitoring.
The greenhouse chrysanthemum, also used in some altars, costs a minimum of 20 pesos a dozen, in Chiapas, and a maximum of 75 pesos a dozen, in the central Iztapalapa, in CDMX.
In general, plants and flowers are 12.3% more expensive than a year ago, according to data for September from Inegi.
A scare with the bread of the dead
This product has a great variety throughout the country. But inflation in supplies has led to sweet bread being 22.55% more expensive than in October 2021, according to the latest data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography.
This means that, if a Mexican spent 200 pesos for the bread on his altar for the dead, now he would spend approximately 240 pesos to buy the same amount.
This is due to the fact that the flour with which bread is prepared in general has increased 38.8%, at an annual rate, while other inputs such as oils and vegetable fats have increased by about 25.98%.
Eggs, meanwhile, are already 33.5% more expensive than a year ago; fresh pasteurized milk costs 12.54%; butter has already risen 18% in the last year. And other occasional ingredients such as chocolate and cocoa have increased their prices between 9 and 13.8% compared to 2021.
A mezcalito for grandpa
Some people use to put some alcoholic beverage on the altar of the dead, based on the tastes that their loved ones had in life. But this will also be more expensive, since on average alcoholic beverages have risen more than 10% in a year.
Tobacco, for its part, has risen 6.11% compared to September 2021.
The candles burn with faces
Just lighting the candle to light the day of the dead will already be more expensive than in 2021, because according to Inegi data, the prices of matches have increased 13% at an annual rate, according to September data. The same has happened with candles and candlesticks, whose price has risen 13.38%, on average, in the same period.
The rise in the prices of candles was also due to the shortage of glass and cardboard, as well as the increase in the cost of LP gas, considered the ANPEC.
