Fuel price adjustment further increases commodity prices and amplifies protests in the country

Since mid-September, the announcement of price increases for gasoline, diesel and kerosene of 128, 89.8 and 88.9 percent respectively, has provoked violent protests, paralyzing several towns, particularly the capital, and leading to looting and building fires. The situation has also crippled public transport, preventing people from carrying out their normal activities.

The announcement of this adjustment is driving up transport costs, and therefore the price of goods, against a backdrop of high inflation. According to the Institut Haïtien de Statistique et d'Informatique (IHSI), annual inflation reached 30.5 percent in July. For imported products, the annual variation in prices is 43 percent. This is a worrisome situation, given Haiti's heavy dependence on food imports.

Spring harvests are below-normal and did not generate adequate income to finance summer/fall crops. Despite above-average rainfall, the summer/fall cropping season will be below normal due to insufficient income from spring crops sales for the purchase of inputs (labor, seeds, etc.).

Insecurity, inflation and declining purchasing power continue to disrupt households' access to typical sources of food and income. Areas with below-average harvests (North-West, North-East, Haut Plateau, Haut Artibonite, West), and precarious neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince under gang control, are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). Households are therefore forced to adopt crisis strategies to maintain their food consumption. An increase in the number of people in Crisis is highly probable. Irrigated or semi-wet areas, having had near-average harvests and initiated the summer/fall season, are Stressed (IPC Phase 2).