Poverty in Argentina rises to 31% due to a rise in food

Published at: 18/02/2026 10:30 AM

The rise in food prices again put pressure on social indicators in Argentina and raised poverty to 31 percent by the end of 2025, according to estimates from Torcuato Di Tella University.

The increase in the basket of basic necessities exceeded the general index and coincided with the suspension of subsidies in assistance programs, which reduced the purchasing power of families with lower incomes.

After the fall recorded since mid-2024, when the poverty level reached 52.9%, the indicator resumed its upward trend and stood at 31% in January. In that same month, the Argentine National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) registered a 4.7% increase in food prices, the most significant movement since May 2024.

The food sector had reached a minimum of 1% in May last year, but it accelerated again in recent months: 4.1% in September, 2.3% in October, 2.4% in November and 3.1% in December.

Local media highlighted that this dynamic influenced the values used by INDEC to calculate poverty and indigence, which increased by more than 2.9% of the consumer price index in early 2025.

Mazo News Team