Lent 2025 began on March 4 with Ash Wednesday and started with initial increases of 10% in the price of fish, seafood, and traditional seasonal foods such as fava beans, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. In traditional shops, such as fish markets and popular markets, salmon stands out as the most expensive product, reaching a price of 380 pesos per kilo, with an annual increase of 5.84%. Among the seafood most requested by Mexicans, raw shrimp and octopus are sold at 280 pesos per kilogram, with increases of 9.80% and 4.47%, respectively. On the other hand, mojarra has positioned itself as one of the most accessible seafood products at the beginning of Lent, with a cost of 110 pesos per kilo and a 4.76% increase compared to the previous season, according to Anpec.
The National Alliance of Small Traders (Anpec) informed Publimetro that, overall, fish and seafood experienced an average increase of 7% at the beginning of Lent this year. Although it may seem a minor variation, this percentage is double the national inflation rate, which reached 3.74% at the end of the first half of February. Cuauhtémoc Rivera, president of Anpec, explained that the market has just begun to adjust prices for Lent and the upcoming Holy Week, where consumption of seafood products increases by 40%. Rivera warned that a minimum increase of 15% in fish and seafood is expected in the coming weeks, not counting the projected inflationary impact due to tariffs imposed by the United States on Mexico.
Regarding fish prices during Lent in recent years, a progressive increase is observed in various products. Raw shrimp has risen from 226 to 368 pesos per kilo over the last three years, while cheap shrimp has increased from 216 to 250 pesos per kilo. Other examples include surimi, mojarra, octopus, and salmon, which have also experienced significant annual increases.
