Centaur Cable Network, Providing CTV3 Belize News live from Orange Walk Town in Belize.

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Written by CTV3 Publisher Tuesday, 24 January 2012 04:18

Economy

When it comes to tacos, Orange Walk is considered to be the number one spot. But when the price of corn tortilla increased on January 1^st, from $1.25 per pound to $1.40 per pound, tacos vendors were just one of the many individuals who were affected. Talks surfaced that with the increase, tacos would go from 3 for $1.00 to 2 for $1.00. So, will the price for Orange Walkenos’s favorite breakfast increase and are vendors being affected by the current increase in the price of corn tortilla? That’s what we tried to find out today.

Amparito Zetina-Reporting

Today we hit the streets of Orange Walk Town and spoke to a number of tacos vendors to get their opinion on the current increase in the price of corn tortilla which came into effect on January 1^st.  Our aim was to find out if the increase has affected what some call the number one business in Orange Walk Town, the selling of tacos. With rumors that the increase in the price per pound of corn tortilla, could cut consumers short of one tacos, we went searching for answers.

Matilda Chatta’s tacos stand is located in the center of town. At the moment she sells her tacos three for $1.00. But according to her, the recent increase in the price is affecting her profits.

Matilda Chatta – tacos vendor

“Si afecta porque ahora es menos cuando compramos cuatro libras es mas el dinero y es menos la tortilla que viene porque es menos y más dinero y para vender no podemos vender dos por un dólar porque todos vender tres por un dólar tienen que estar de acuerdo todos solo así.

But Chatta is not the only vendor that is being affected by the price increase. Today when we spoke to Maria Diaz, she also told us her business is being affected. Despite the fact that she has been incurring the increase in price, she does not know for how long she will be able to do so.

María – tacos vendor

“Pues si nos está afectando bastante porque damos el taco a tres por un dólar y no podemos darlo a dos porque no se vendería entonces lo que estoy haciendo es viendo cómo puedo hacer para darlo siempre a tres y no afectar al cliente ni salir afectada yo.  Mi mensaje para el gobierno es que mantenga el precio a que no incremente porque al incrementar eso atrae a la delincuencia al país y tiene que cuidar para que no caiga como están otros países por eso mismo porque subió todo entonces todo encareció y allí la delincuencia se incrementa”

Other vendors whom we spoke with off camera, told us that increasing the price of tacos from 3 for $1.00 to 2 for $1.00, is presently out of the question since it would only push their clients away, thus affecting their profits even more.

But while most vendors say their business is being affected by the current increase, another tacos vendor told us that her business is running smoothly.

Luciana – tacos vendor

“Pues no porque yo les doy a cuatro por dólar a los niños de escuela y aunque este a 1.40 la libra de tortilla yo siempre yo se los doy a ellos así igual porque yo no estoy para quedar rica o para nada solo para sobrevivir”

Most of the vendors told us that in order for their profits not to be greatly affected, they put less meat or cabbage to the tacos in order for Orange Walkenos’s favorite breakfast to remain at three for $1.00.

CTV3 News understands that for the time being, the price of tacos will remain the same. A change in price however, could be seen if the price per pound of corn tortilla sees another increase.

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