Rising Produce Prices

As the growing crisis in California drags on through what should be their rainy season, the forecast is looking bleaker and bleaker for produce growers. As of February, the entirety of California has been suffering at least “moderate drought,” 71.78% of the state experiencing “extreme drought” and 22.37% is even worse off with “exceptional drought” conditions. The most recent “severe” drought in the last two decades was in 2007 and even then only approximately 35% of the state experienced “extreme drought” with 0.0% reaching the “exceptional drought” conditions we are seeing now.

As a country, we rely a lot on imported produce, especially in the winter months when our farms are covered in snow. Approximately 80% of organic food is imported to Canada and the majority of that comes from California. General manager Alexandra Brigham of Eternal Abundance organics told The Province that, “last year around this time, a box of oranges cost (wholesale) $60 to $65, and this year, we’re paying $75 a box.”

In the same Province article, Randy from Discovery Organics said that rising prices are due more to the weakening Canadian dollar than by shortages caused by the drought. However, many Mexican farmers have already taken advantage of the crisis by raising prices on their exports.

Now that spring is officially here, local farms have slowly begun sending out produce. Already early potato crops are coming in from PEI and strawberry crops are reported to be right on schedule for the season. Programs are being introduced that will allow BC to have greater self-reliance by requesting local farms to can, freeze, and store their produce for the winter months and reduce our reliance on U.S. imports.

For now, the numbers of farms in BC are still too low to support the huge population all on their own. There is hope that seeing the results of the California drought will create more interest in self-sufficiency and cause local farmers to adjust their practices accordingly.