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Lots of chatter on the news about removing the subsidy for fuel products here in Mexico by slowly increasing prices between now and 2010. For one thing, we have been increasing the price steadily for over a year in small increments of 1 centavo per month. How are we adjusting? Granted, I am speaking from personal experience living in/near a major metropolitan area. I see more 10 year old vehicle imports than ever before. And guess what, most are diesel engine pick ups. Owners of these vehicles may be in for a surprise in the near future.
Also, the news has been full of ever skyrocketing food prices. Click the link on the right "Who's Who In Food Prices" and choose a city and product category. Prices are remaining stable based on the factual information provided by supermarkets to Profeco, Mexico's BBB.
Tortillas can be found around town for as little as 6 pesos a kilo. One of the problems are small towns and the poorer Mexicans who are not accustomed to shopping in large supermarkets that can make lower prices available. Sorry, I can't help you there. It may take a cultural change to get people to go where the best prices are. Too many excuses are used to justify why people can or can't do something. In most cases, it is just the desire and will to make a change. The Mexican news media plays a big role in this problem by constantly picking out a few products that have skyrocketed like; cooking oil, grain products, and fuel prices. If you look at the over picture, eating fruits and vegetables in season, checking the weekly grocery ads will extend a paycheck budget considerably.
If you are coming to Mexico this Winter and want to help, give a few well-thought out talks in local churches and schools on how to improve your economy, how to shop and build a budget. Even if the person is a day-worker, with a little insight great things can happen. If we continue to give people things without having to work for them, things will never change. They will continue to show up for a hand out, and in too many cases, when the hand out no longer exists they will be in even worse condition.
I sincerely hope that increased prices for food and fuel cannot be linked to the greater influx of visitors from the north. We go to Mexico to enjoy the people and the culture and end up saving money over what it would cost us to travel in the USA and Canada but that is not our goal. The last thing we want to do is to worsen conditions for the citizens of our host Country!
ReplyDeleteThe latest tactic of USA truckers who cross the border to fill up on fuel that is then used in the US must be stopped. I fully support the idea of a "Buffer Zone" near the Northern border with separate Pemex pumps for foreign plated vehicles that would charge the going USA prices. Perhaps this would help the situation, I don't know.