(2024-11) WFP VAM Market Monitoring, November 2024: Haiti

World Food Programme (WFP) • 2024 • 5 pages

Summary — WFP's November 2024 market monitoring bulletin reports the national food basket cost rising 2 percent in October to 26,385 gourdes, driven by instability and lower production, with maize prices up 10 percent in the Northwest and Southeast. Bean shortages persisted in the North-West, Artibonite, Nippes and South even as overall food availability remained adequate.

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Key Findings

The national food basket cost rose 2 percent in October to 26,385 gourdes, driven by instability and lower production.
Maize prices rose 10 percent in the Northwest and Southeast; vegetable oil rose 7 percent year-on-year.
Bean shortages persisted in the North-West, Artibonite, Nippes and South despite adequate overall availability.
62 percent of surveyed traders reported scarcity of food products in October, mainly beans and rice.
The Southeast and Nippes departments saw the largest food basket cost increases (7% and 6%).

Full Description

This WFP VAM Market Monitoring bulletin covers October 2024. The national average cost of a basic food basket rose by 411 gourdes (2 percent) to 26,385 gourdes, an increase also observed in the metropolitan area, attributed to instability and a decrease in production. Prices for flour, rice and sugar stabilized or declined, but maize rose 10 percent in the Northwest and Southeast departments, and vegetable oil rose slightly to 1,280 gourdes, a 7 percent year-on-year increase versus January 2024. A significant shortage of beans persisted in the North-West, Artibonite, Nippes and South, though overall availability remained adequate; 62 percent of surveyed traders reported food-product scarcity in October, mainly of beans and rice, attributed to poor road conditions, limited purchasing power, heavy rains and reliance on imports from the United States and Dominican Republic that reduced availability of locally produced goods such as maize. At department level, the North recorded price decreases of 5 percent while the West fell 4 percent, whereas the Southeast and Nippes saw increases of 7 percent and 6 percent respectively. The bulletin's Market Functionality methodology mirrors the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative used by the Cash Transfer Working Group, drawing on face-to-face interviews with 282 traders across 57 markets in all ten departments.

Geography

Keywords

series:wfp-vam-haiti

Entities

World Food Programme (WFP), Cash Transfer Working Group (GTTM)

Full Document Text

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Market Monitoring WFP VAM | Food Security Analysis HAITI | November 2024 Key Points  The national average cost of a basic food basket increased by 411 gourdes in October, reaching 26,385 gourdes. This represents an increase of 2% compared to the previous month, also observed in the metropolitan area, due to instability and a decrease in production.  The prices of some food items such as flour, rice and sugar have stabilized or even decreased. However, maize prices rose by 10% in the Northwest and Southeast departments.  The price of vegetable oil rose slightly in October to 1,280 gourdes. but compared to January 2024, the year-on-year increase is more significant at 7%.   There is a significant shortage of beans in certain regions, including the NorthWest, Artibonite, Nippes and South, although overall availability is adequate. Octobre 2024| Haiti - Suivi de marchés November 2024|Haiti Market Monitoring 1 AVAILABILITY Throughout October, many retailers faced shortages of food, particularly beans. These supply chain disruptions were caused by a combination of factors, including poor road conditions, limited purchasing power and heavy rains, which hampered transport and market operations. In addition, reliance on imports from the US and the Dominican Republic reduced the availability of locally produced goods, such as maize. Source: WFP, 2024 PRICE TRENDS FOR STAPLE FOODS Prices remained largely stable between September and October, with the exception of maize, red beans and vegetable oil, which rose by 10%, 4% and 1% respectively. Notably, black bean prices remained stable despite the limited availability of beans in some mar- Source: WFP, 2024 kets. Average food prices per kilogram by department (in Haitian Gourdes) Department Weat flour Rice Maize Sugar Black Beans Red beans Vegetable oil Centre 175 -18% 240 - 7% 217 + 5% 241 0% 417 - 2% 583 +33% 1150 +11% Artibonite 188 - 3% 231 0% 168 - 3% 207 -11% 458 +10% 599 - 4% 1200 +12% Nippes 200 0% 212 +10% 217 +11% 250 + 7% 458 +10% 531 + 2% 1476 +15% Nord 225 - 5% 231 - 8% 196 -10% 207 -14% 500 - 6% 604 0% 1119 + 2% Nord-Est 263 0% 250 - 7% 217 - 5% 241 0% 510 + 2% 625 +15% 1160 + 7% Nord-Ouest 188 0% 231 0% 174 0% 207 0% 417 0% 625 0% 1150 + 6% Ouest 200 -20% 231 0% 326 + 7% 207 0% 417 0% 536 + 3% 1134 + 7% Sud 200 0% 231 +20% 174 -20% 241 0% 417 - 9% 625 + 3% 1279 0% Sud-Est 325 + 3% 231 0% 250 +64% 284 - 6% 417 0% 542 +13% 1279 0% Grand’Anse 200 - 6% 231 0% 217 - 9% 259 0% 417 -11% 792 +41% 1250 - 1% increase decrease Stable November 2024|Haiti - Market Monitoring Price trends for products monitored over the year EVOLUTION OF THE FOOD BASKET Despite the difficult security situation, the average cost of a food basket rose by 2% in October to 26,385 gourdes. While the North and West recorded price decreases of 5% and 4% respectively, the Southeast and Nippes experienced more significant increases of 7% and 6%. To cope with these changes, retailers are adjusting their strategies by sourcing from nearby departments. Variation in the Cost of the Food Basket (National and ZM PAP) Cost of food basket from January to November 2024, National and in Port-au-Prince Metropolitan Area November 2024|Haiti - Market Monitoring Graph 1 : Monthly Variation of the Food Basket Cost Graph 2 : Annual Variation of the Food Basket Cost Octobre 2024 | Haiti - Suivi de marchés November 2024|Haiti Market Monitoring 4 Methodology The methodology used is the same as that of the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), for reasons of harmonisation with the system used by other actors in the Cash Transfer Working Group (GTTM). • Data is collected through face-to-face interviews with 05 traders per product in the market. In total, 282 dealers from 57 markets were interviewed. • 10 divisions were covered by the data collection, with a focus on the metropolitan area. A minimum of four (4) markets per department were selected due to their importance. Selection of products and observation units The selection of food products that make up the food basket is based on the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB). It includes seven (7) basic products that make up the ICSM basket, taking into account the energy requirements of a household of five (5) persons (energy requirement of 2100 kcal). • Wheat flour (30 kg); Rice (20 kg); Maize (10 kg); Sugar (3 kg); Black beans (10 kg); Red beans (10 kg); Vegetable oil (1.5 gallons). Data are collected monthly. Tools : Mobile Operational Data Acquisition) - WFP Data Collection Platform. Limitation and field challenges The lack of availability of certain traders, particularly wholesalers during periods of high demand, or of certain products in certain markets, due to the security situation, may have hampered the achievement of the planned coverage in certain areas and therefore might affect the accuracy of the estimates. PAM | Haïti Wanja KAARIA, Country Director Erwan RUMEN , Deputy Country Director Technical Team: Smaila GNEGNE, Head of RAM unit Wilfried CHIGBLO, VAM officer Kendy MASSENA, VAM Associate Contact : smaila.gnegne@wfp.org @WFP_Haiti Octobre 2024| Haiti - Suivi de marchés November 2024|Haiti Market Monitoring 5