The index measures prices that households pay in retail in cities covered by HCP. Therefore, the 4.3% increase reflects the change in the selling price of vegetables to the consumer; it does not reveal the share of the price or increase in the hands of the producer, the intermediary, or the consumer. On the same note, fruit prices rose by 0.1%, while fish and seafood prices declined by 0.4%.
The annual comparison offers a different perspective. Food products were 2.5% cheaper than in September 2025, while the overall index increased by 0.5%. The source considers the monthly rise in September to be a recovery over the year rather than a general price surge compared to last year. The seasonal transition between the end of the summer season of open-field vegetables and the entry of greenhouse production into the market is cited as one of the possible explanations. Whether the increase continues into October will be seen in the HCP note following the introduction of greenhouse tomatoes and peppers.
