Comportamento de preços de algumas hortículas no Mercado Central de Maputo 1998-2004

Abstract

Summary In the markets of Maputo city, it is common to find different types of domestically produced vegetables as well as those imported from neighboring countries. These vegetables are divided into two groups which are cultivated and uncultivated. The cultivated vegetables are tomato, onion, garlic, pepper, pumpkin, “nhangana” (cassava leaves), “matapa” (cassava leaves), sweet potato leaves, cabbage, cabbage, lettuce, New Zealand spinach, eggplant, green beans, chilli beans, yams and carrots, while the uncultivated ones germinate spontaneously in places with sufficient humidity and fertility for their growth such as cacana and “boa” (“tseque”). Vegetables can be consumed fresh, such as lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, onions, or as ingredients in the preparation of certain dishes. According to Halfaccre & Barden (1979), these constitute a small source of energy, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and represent about 20% of the total agricultural production in the world and, therefore, it is important to optimize their production. At the Faculty of Agronomy and Forestry Engineering (FAEF) there is a system for collecting the prices of vegetables charged to consumers in the Central Market of Maputo City, and because there are many products chosen for analysis: tomatoes, cabbage, garlic and the onion.