Sarma becoming a luxury as price of key ingredient soars

Sarma (Photo: Vitaan26/Public domain)

As the prices of basic ingredients soar across Croatia, a traditional winter favourite is becoming increasingly costly.

With meat, and other essential items for sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls) already seeng significant price hikes, many are set to find this once-affordable meal turning into a luxury.

According to official data from the Ministry of Agriculture, the average price for a kilogram of cabbage at Croatian markets is now €2.

A year ago, it was 20% cheaper, and three years ago, you could get 2 kilograms for the same price, Dnevnik.hr reported.

“Everything in this country is getting more expensive. Eggs cost three times as much, yet the chickens are the same. I just don’t understand it anymore,” says Miodrag from Zagreb.

“Nothing surprises me anymore. If I can manage, I manage; if not, I find a way,” says Vojislav from Zagreb.

It seems traders are also adapting, as prices vary across markets.

The cheapest cabbage can be found in Požega at €1 per kilogram, while in Slavonski Brod, Osijek, and Zadar, it costs €1.50.

In Zagreb, Varaždin, and Pula, the price is €2, but in Dubrovnik, it climbs to €4 per kilogram.

“I don’t think it’s too expensive at the market because I have a weekend home, and I know how hard it is to grow both vegetables and fruit,” said Ivančica.

Producers of Varaždin cabbage claim the price increases are due to severe drought.

“Cabbage retains water, and when it’s been scorched by 40 degrees Celsius heat, the heads cook internally. They suffer, turn brown, and spoil. There’s definitely less cabbage available,” explained Marija Cafuk, president of the cabbage growers’ association.

Sauerkraut, as expected, is even more expensive, costing 30 to 50 percent more than fresh cabbage at the markets.

“I don’t think the price is too high. €3 for a head of sauerkraut seems fair to me,” said Jasna Pranić, a cabbage producer from Bjelovar.

When you add beef that’s up to 8% more expensive, pork up to 20% more expensive, and even rice, sarma could truly become a luxury for some this year.