The California freeze?

[cowman]

On the news last night they said just about everything we might eat in the way of fresh veggies/fruit is about to go through the roof, due to the freeze in California! They said your typical orange would be right around that $2 mark!
They also talked about finding alternate markets...because there just won't be enough to go around!
How much will these increases cost the average Canadian consumers food bill? Will we see prices rise all across the board? How safe is lettuce and cucumbers from China?

[coppertop]

It is a given that this sort of loss of supply will drive the prices up. Consumers will have to decide what their priorities are when they spend their food dollar.

[blackjack]

...we could all vote ndp...and then madam chow could feed us all...lol

[cakadu]

My husband will not be sad if the price of broccoli goes up. He thinks that might just be a very good thing. ;-)

It is interesting to watch as this storm front progresses across the US and through BC as well.

I don't believe China produces those kinds of crops for export, but I could be wrong. Most of our imported produce has been coming from places like Mexico, Chile and Australia (citrus).

Have never been able to figure out how the price of what is already in stock in the stores needs to go up in view of the shortage. That has already been bought, but I guess the old supply and demand enters into play.

Every winter I think we do have to make buying choices i.e. $4.00 for a scrawny cucumber, $5/lb for green g****s etc. Depends on what is important to have, broccoli included.

[wilagro]

Florida has experienced similar frosts in the past. We got by. Imports from South Africa, Mexico, Spain, Australia and Chile filled in the gaps in supply. Prices went up but we bought less.

Juice supplies will not be affected this time so no problem there.

I have lots of carrots, so guess what I will eat until the gardens produce? If my skin turns orange I can always say that I just returned from a vacation in Mexico.

[coppertop]

wilagto, all that beta cartene is good for you !!!! I have always wondered why we can't produce some of those crops under controlled conditions in Canada at less cost than importing them.

Cucumbers can be produced in greenhouses with no problem, so why in heck do we need to import them !

The Research Centre in Lethbridge grows lots of strange looking stuff in the name of research, perhaps some of that federal money should go to growing food that we need vs importing it. But of course then the trade deficit would be an issue !!!

[cakadu]

Part of the reason we import things like cucumbers that can and are grown here in the winter is because they are quite costly to grow here. Several years back one of the greenhouse operators said that if gas prices doubled, they would just break even and if they tripled, the greenhouses would have to be dark in the winter as they would just loose money.

With the cost of gas now, plus all the other inputs, I can't imagine what the bottom line is for them.

I know that I have friends that have a hard time paying $4 for a cucumber in winter, especially if it comes from one of the local growers. I explaine that they have their costs too and they need to be paid for producing the product. I guess it is just somehow easier to swallow (pun intended)if the cucumber comes from far away. It's all perception, isn't it?

[cowman]

Actually Linda gas is pretty cheap right now? $6.37 mmbtu this AM. Compare that with $8.72 in late November 2006 or $15.57 December 2005?
A lot of greenhouses converted over to coal in 2005.
It can't be an easy business with such strong changes in the price of inputs and the prices they recieve for their products? Must be a nightmare trying to do any planning before you plant? How can some stability be brought into the business?