The prices of most basic foodstuffs have registered significant increases in supermarkets and stores around the country. A report in Listin Diario indicates that the increases, which began two weeks ago, are attributed to the increase in the foreign exchange rate and the high cost of petroleum on the international market. For example, the price of chicken has risen from RD$22 in July to RD$32 now. Other basic foodstuffs used by Dominicans that have registered increases of up to 22% in price include rice, cod, herring, eggs and plantains.The continuous increase in the cost of transporting these products from the countryside to the distribution centers in the cities is considered to be one of the causes of the increase.