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Sat, Jan 2nd, 2016, 10:44 PM #31
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Sat, Jan 2nd, 2016, 10:45 PM #32
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Sun, Jan 3rd, 2016, 09:41 AM #33
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Part of the problem is the drought in California and Arizona, which is where much of your US produce comes from in the winter. Heads of lettuce are smaller because there's just not enough water for them to grow in, and the weather hasn't been that great down there.
I work with customs, so I understand the importing of fruits/veg fairly inside and out, and part of the reason your costs are up are exchange rates. If the fruit is imported from Mexico, it is most likely brought into the US from Mexico by a broker or consolidation company and then re-sold to Canada. So you have the exchange from Pesos to USD, the charges for transporting the goods from MX to the US. Then the broker/consolidator adds their mark up, adds in their shipping costs and then the USD-CAD exchange rate. Then the Canadian wholesaler delivers it to the grocery store, but puts their markup and delivery charges on it first, and the grocery store adds their mark up.
So it can go through anywhere from 2-5 companies on the way to Canada, each time incurring more costs.
And the US-CA exchange rate is based upon the rate on the day the goods leave the US on their journey to Canada. So if the goods were to leave today, and say a crate of broccoli with 10 heads in it costs USD $40, it now costs $55.42 with an exchange rate of 1.38540. So minimally, that head of broccoli that should cost $4, is now $5.50 and that's without anybody adding in transportation costs and profit margins.
It is hard to explain (I'm not the best at explaining things!) but transportation, weather, customs charges (our fees), profit and exchange rates all influence the cost before it gets to you.
Although admittedly, a lot of it is true price gouging. Some stores just don't seem to care how much they rip people off.
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Sun, Jan 3rd, 2016, 10:50 PM #34
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I am hanging on to my last 9 Ambrosia apples...after I finish these wonder how much I have to shell out for Golden Delicious apples. Good thing is I hate broccoli and lettuce so I stick with potatoes, carrots, & squash. I do like fresh vine tomatoes...the price should be ridiculously high now.
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:28 AM #35
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My parents have a banana tree. They keep it in the house all year and it has never made fruit. They've had it for maybe 10 years. I wouldn't bank on growing your own bananas . Fig trees do not do well either. It will literally grow a single fig all year.
But definitely tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, herbs are the way to go if you want to grow your own in your backyard. Peach/Apple/Blackberry/Pear trees all do well in Canada.Apply every possible promo code to your cart, at every store that you visit (and get points for cash back on top of that?). It's sweet and easy with HONEY.
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:31 AM #36
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- Vancouver Island
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I live on Vancouver Island and had a fig tree in my yard with a ton of fruit on it.
Zoombucks are back: Please consider using my link to sign up again: https://zoombucks.com/?ref=IIHO0L
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 02:06 AM #37
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 04:57 AM #38
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- sechelt,b.c.
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Ya'll left out Kiwis,lol.Neighbors' Kiwi is invading my yard and still loaded with perfectly edible fruit,which will take quite a freeze before it begins to spoil.My fig tree's tiny,but next door they get tons.
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 09:21 AM #39
Food basics
4 pack of peppers, 3.97
Green peppers individually were cheaper but were all haggard
Ended up getting red peppers, two of them
Didn`t notice until I was home they came to 3.94 :\
I just paid 79c / lb at No frills not long ago for green peppers. So annoying.
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 10:20 AM #40
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Apply every possible promo code to your cart, at every store that you visit (and get points for cash back on top of that?). It's sweet and easy with HONEY.
Always use Ebates and get cash back at over 600 online stores! Use this link to get $5, FREE
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:06 PM #41
Iam equally worried about the two commodity you mentioned. Especially cauliflower , where in the summer i used to make it every week it now costs $6+ in calgary superstore. This December shopping has been a wreck because all fresh produce is three four times more expensive. Yesterday went to the store saw TOV tomatoes are $3.27/lb ? holy god $6+ for a kg of tomatoes ????? And they come from Medicine hat .I do a lot of east indian cooking at home , how am i to cope??
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:14 PM #42
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:27 PM #43
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Part of the reason the prices are so high is that in general, most people in Canada now eat produce that is not locally in season. It gets imported, so exchanges rates and transportation costs come into play. So does the drought in California, the state that produces about 80% of US produce (Almonds and walnuts are produced there, and require a crazy amount of water, so those costs are skyrocketing.) So the costs of fresh produce is higher in the US right now, not just in Canada, because production isn't at the same level it was even a few years ago. Fresh produce is always more expensive in winter than in summer, as in summer we do see regional produce (lots on Ontario produce in stores in summer in Ontario, and more at the farmer's market) and this year has several things leading to higher prices. High produce prices do not necessarily mean your grocer is price-gouging.
In winter, eating seasonally means root vegetables and vegetables that store well. But that's not how most people eat anymore, and we are paying the price for it (economically, and I would say environmentally).
It is possible to eat local food in winter. I am. It includes lots of good storage items like carrots, beets, rutabagas, cabbage, potatoes, onions, etc. but also fresh locally grown greens like lettuce, spinach, herbs, kale, chard, etc. I buy directly from a farmer who in addition to good storage sheds has green houses with heated soil and so can grow greens in winter. It's through a CSA (community supported agriculture) program. The vegetables I get are much nicer than what can be found at the grocery store right now. I'm willing to pay for the fresh locally grown food. And while to some it would seem like a lot of money, given where the cost of produce went this winter, I think I got a very good deal If you want fresh local food, look up CSA for your community.Last edited by super807; Mon, Jan 4th, 2016 at 12:30 PM.
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 12:59 PM #44
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Mon, Jan 4th, 2016, 01:22 PM #45
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