December 20, 2022

17:12

Marcela Leiros – Amazon Agency

MANAUS – The purchase of traditional items for Christmas dinner, as turkey, cod or tender, for example, will not be an option for some families in Manaus, capital of Amazonas. With the price of a kilo of these foods alternating between R$ 27 and R$ 90, consumers are forced to find other alternatives dishes to put on the table.

Is the case of self-employed Aldo José, 65 years. He recalls that at Christmas 2021 still managed to buy the turkey, but this year, with the price reaching R$ 400 in some establishments, it will not be possible to enjoy the traditional dish. Other options will be pork and rump steak.

“The turkey will not give, no”, he said, who will celebrate the date with four other people. “Last year, it was R$250, but this year it went up a lot. We will buy pork, rump cap, whatever you can eat”.

Read also: Social action takes the joy of Christmas for children from the Amazonas countryside

In a supermarket in downtown Manaus, the price of turkey is R$ 27.48, Seara brand, and R$ 28.49, Sadia brand; Sadia pork loin, R$ 16.99; Seara tenderloin, R$ 54.99; Perdigão Chester, R$ 27.49; other options for replacement are poultry, which can cost up to R$ 18.89, Maravilha brand, R$ 21.49, Sadia brand, and R$ 24.68, Seara brand.

Sales

In the Alvorada neighbourhood, west central zone of the city, businesswoman Aparecida Rios created alternatives to make Christmas dinner items more attractive to the public. At the Meat Market it is possible to find a kit formed by turkey, ham, tenderloin and tenderloin.

She says that due to the value of the set, which reaches almost R$ 500, sales come out more for customers in neighborhoods of the area considered more “noble” in the city.

“I went out to Adrianópolis, Ponta Negra, Morada do Sol, is more for these areas of the city’s most noble. Only here [in Alvorada] does not have much output”, she explains, also stating that it was surprised when he made available the seasoned chicken and customers began to search as an option to the turkey.

In the establishment, the kilo of seasoned turkey Sadia reaches R$ 36.99; the leg Sadia, R$ 19.99; and the tender Sadia, R$ 94.99. Already the seasoned chicken is R$ 12,50. “I asked for a seasoned chicken, because people will eat chicken at Christmas and here [to region] I sell this chicken”, complemented.

Priorities

Economist Denise Kassama points out that, in addition to product prices having increased, consumers choose to prioritize other expenses, such as paying off debts.

“These choices, of what to buy, are simply linked to income. There is still a very high indebtedness of families, that are trying to recover, but the interest rate does not help us, and those who are employed prefer to pay off the debt instead of making a very full supper”, explains.

The informality in the Amazon – 57.1%, according to the last survey of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) – and the reduction of income also contribute in the search for other alternatives to Christmas dinner, according to Kassama.

“Still has a very significant unemployment in the state of Amazonas, and with unemployment we have the reduction of family income, and with this has the concern of the choices. We end up choosing the most affordable price for the pocket. Also worth noting that many workers migrated pro informal sector, in sporadic, in temporary”, finalizes.

Also read: Planning: to save money, parents are ahead in the search for school supplies