Fruit and vegetable prices increase in Korça/ Pensioners have difficulty coping with living expenses

2026-03-30 13:52:00, Sociale CNA

Fruit and vegetable prices increase in Korça/ Pensioners have difficulty

The increase in fruit and vegetable prices in the Korça market is weighing more and more on family budgets, especially for pensioners.

Within a very short period of time, basic products have become significantly more expensive, making it increasingly difficult to afford daily necessities.

According to field observations, the price of peppers has reached up to 3.5 thousand lek per kilogram, up from around 2.5 thousand lek just a few days ago.

Tomatoes have also increased at the same level, while cucumbers have increased from 1 thousand to about 1.3 thousand lek per kilogram.

Elderly pensioners express outrage over the situation, saying that prices have become unaffordable and that they are often forced to give up basic products.

"The prices are so high that you can take Rama and put him in the ground. 4 thousand old lek was a kilogram of peppers, 3 thousand 500 for tomatoes. Where can we eat them? The boy brought me oil, because I can't use it for these. They'll even peel our skin."

Others say they are now forced to limit themselves to only the cheapest products, while they only see fresh food at the market.

"What basket should I consume? I only buy it when pasta comes out on sale. When you look at tomatoes for 3,000 - 3,500 lek, you'll be dizzy, you won't eat it anymore. I'll retire on 100,000 old lek. What should I do first, water, electricity or food?"

Even retired women say that they often go to the market just to look at the prices, without being able to buy.

"We look at tomatoes and peppers with our eyes when we go shopping and tell the sellers 'at least we're satisfied'. We get something cheaper, that's all we can do."

While for many families, the alternative remains limiting consumption and focusing on cheaper products.

"We look at them with our eyes and our hearts burst. We get milk, some eggs, we make soup. What can we do with these? With 200 thousand lek pension? What about medicine?"

The increase in prices in the fruit and vegetable market is thus becoming a daily concern for the citizens of Korça, who are seeking measures to cope with the ever-increasing costs of living./ CNA