The government is once again capping the prices of agricultural products in Havana

The Government of Havana announced a new resolution that sets maximum prices for the marketing of agricultural products in the capital, with differentiated caps according to the type of market.

The measure, presented as an attempt to "protect the consumer," in practice allows for higher prices in the venues where a large portion of the population shops, such as supply and demand markets, cooperatives, and street vendors.

According to the official newspaper Tribuna de La Habana, the resolution signed by the governor Yanet Hernández Pérez establishes three pricing levels: for state and rented markets, for agricultural fairs, and for supply and demand markets.

Three different stops for the same product

In the state markets, retail prices remain at relatively lower ranges, with sweet potatoes and cassava at 30 pesos per pound, taro colocasia at 60, taro xanthosoma at 85, cooking bananas at 35, and dry onions at 250.

In contrast, in the supply and demand markets, cooperatives, and street vendors, prices soar, as sweet potatoes and yuca reach 45 pesos, taro colocasia at 75, taro xanthosoma at 110, green bananas at 50, common beans up to 285, consumption rice at 155, and dry onions at 250.

In the agricultural fairs, intermediate prices are authorized: sweet potato, cassava, and plantain at 25 CUP, taro colocasia at 55, taro xanthosoma at 75, shredded papaya at 40, beans between 196 and 285, rice at 155, and dry onion at 200.

The disparity shows that the same product can double or triple its price depending on the market where it is sold, creating uncertainty and primarily impacting consumers who rely on street vendors and the dynamics of supply and demand, which are generally better stocked than state-run markets.

An announcement following the police operations

This new pricing scheme comes just days after the police operations against street vendors in several municipalities of Havana, as part of the IV National Exercise for Crime Prevention and Confrontation.

In those raids, there were reports of seizures, million-dollar fines, and arrests of street vendors, actions that sparked public criticism for targeting people who survive by selling produce on the street.

"The police arrested people who are struggling to make ends meet by selling food and cigarettes that the government does not have to sell," reported a Havana resident on social media.

The offensive was presented as part of the fight against illegal activities, but it coincided with the announcement of these new prices, reinforcing the perception of increased state control over the informal economy.

Control instead of relief

The resolution repeals previous regulations, including 69 from April 2025, and standardizes prices across the province. With this, the authorities aim to centralize control at a time marked by inflation, blackouts, shortages, and growing social discontent.

The paradox is clear: while informal vendors offering alternative access to food are being pursued, the officially authorized prices in the busiest markets are higher than those in state-run ones, leaving the residents of Havana caught between repression and the rising costs of basic products.

For many, street vending remains the only way to access root vegetables and grains without paying exorbitant prices, although it comes with the risk of being fined or having their goods confiscated.