A evolução dos custos da cesta básica na cidade de Fortaleza no período de 1985 a 1997

Abstract

The objective of this work was to study the evolution of the cost of the basket of basic good in the city of Fortaleza, in the period from January 1985 to June 1997. The results showed that the basket of basic goods in Fortaleza presented a very adjusted seasonal curve, with elevation tendency in the first semester; maximum point in June, decreasing in the second semester, coinciding with the harvest time of most of the agricultural products in Ceará. The products that stood out in the composition of the total cost of the basket, were beef, bread and tomato, which altogether represented on average about 64% of the total cost. The purchasing power of the minimum wage in relation to the basket of basic goods during the inflationary period, presented a decreasing tendency, demonstrating that wage policies adopted in that period didn’t protect the consumer against inflation. After the adoption of “Plano Real”, the economic stability favored an expansion of the purchasing power of low income consumers in the city of Fortaleza, although this group of population has noticed that this group has continued to be in inferior levels when compared to previous periods. On the other hand, that growth became stabler,providing larger peacefulness to the consumer, unlike the inflationary period where there was a great oscillation of the purchasing power of the minimum wage. The paper argues that it is necessary to adopt policies to the maintenance of a regulating stock with the purpose of controlling the price of the basic goods in the peak seasons, seeking to lessen the problem of hunger.