Haiti-Food Prices

AP-May 02, 2011 02:21 EDT
Haiti hard hit by food, fuel hikes
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- The tough times in Haiti are being complicated by rising food and other prices.
The price hikes come as the earthquake aid operation scales back, and the market reasserts itself.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization says Haiti's staple food, rice, rose from 42 cents a pound in September to $1.38 in January. It's fallen some since, but is still pricey in a country where 10 million people get by on less than $2 a day.
Corn, which cost about 31 cents a pound just before Haiti's devastating earthquake more than a year ago, was almost double that price in March.
Gasoline has doubled in price, to $5 a gallon, which prompted a strike last month by cab drivers. They had to call it off because they were so desperate for fares.
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