Where to buy sugar in Santa Cruz

(Santa Cruz Bolivia)

Due to the recent sugar shortage that has been going on in Bolivia over the past few months, it's getting very very difficult to find sugar in any store. Most stores will now only sell one bag of sugar (1 kilogram) per person on a single day. Many stores get a delivery of sugar and sell out immediately, even as the trucks are unloading. Some people, as I witnessed at the Hipermaxi on Calle Manuel Ignacio Salvatierra, get into arguments with the cashiers who don't allow them to buy more than one bag.

Today I was at the new Fidalga Norte supermarket on the third ring and Avenida Banzer across from the Hipermaxi. I looked all over for sugar to no avail. I had already finished paying for my stuff when the guy in line behind me asked the cashier for sugar and she pulled out a bag of sugar from under her register. She told me they are not placing the sugar on the store shelves. You have to ask the cashier for sugar. And you can only buy one bag. And the price has nearly doubled from just Bs. 4.50 three months ago to Bs. 8.60 per kilo today. But at least they have it. Chances are the other Fidalga supermarkets are doing the same - and possibly other supermarket chains as well, so just ask. If you don't ask they don't offer the information voluntarily.

So there you go, if you need sugar, ask the cashiers at the Fidalga Norte. They're hiding it under their registers.