Weird Year for Groceries!?

[Billy K.]

Going to the supermarket has been interesting as of late.

Most recently, many groceries have thrown away tomatoes, due to a salmonella scare.

People in Seattle were hoarding rice, up until a few weeks ago. The situation was really bad for a while. Costco would only let you buy two large bags of rice. And many of the Chinese restaurants here had to scramble to get some rice.

In some areas, corn prices have gone up, due to people using more ethanol in their vehicles.

And I'm sure the Midwest floods will have some kind of effect on the food supply later on.

[Kirk]

Billy, it seems like there is always something going on in the world that (supposedly) affects food prices. I remember a time in the early '70s when sugar was really high- maybe triple what it had been the week before. Can't recall the reason. After about 49 people asked me why sugar was so high, this little old lady (lucky number 50) asks me the same question. Tired of giving the same old story, I told her "Haven't you heard? Hawaii is sinking!" She nodded her head as if to say "IGI" and walked away happy that she got a bag before it was too late.

[Danny S.]

Billy, Dont forget the sky high Diesel prices.All our meats, produce, groceries arive by truck,and train.The trucks, as well as, the Thermo-King Reefer units are Diesel powered.Add in the flood factor, and just watch these prices soar through the roof.I'm seeing it every day.

[julesberry]

We put in a REALLY big garden this year. Tomatoes, beans, peas, corn, radishes, carrots, lettuce, peppers, squash, green and red cabbage, brocolli, cucumbers, watermelon, canteloupe, cilantro, rosemary, chives and parsley. It's going to pay off REALLY big this year for sure.

[mellie]

I'm wondering if co-ops are going to become more popular now. In the '80's, I grew herbs and spices in my apartment, then took the harvest to a food co-op each month and exchanged it for vegetables. It was really a thrift for me. I saw a news report last week about a neighborhood where people are growing different things with the intent to swap out their harvest and donate their excess to the local food pantry. It seems like the state of our economy is getting some people back to the basics and really bringing out the best in a lot of people.

[Bessieboo]

I have bought locally grown tomatoes and strawberries lately. Our growing time is at the end until the end of the rainy seson. I heard about the rice hoarding, but I use brown rice most frequently and the shelves are still full.

I try to be more careful this time of year because it's hurricane season, so I try not to overstock the freezer.

I am much more aware of not wasting so much. I don't always know how many will be here for dinner so I tend to cook too much. So now if the guys are bringing someone home for dinner they better tell me in time - or go hungry.

The prices have gone wild, I was going to get olives but the price was $8.99 ! I put them back. I understand everthing has gone up, but I don't want to be taken advantage of either. The next time I go Costco I am going to stock up on tomato sauce, I am sure that is going to go way up soon too.

Meat price haven't gone up as much as other things but I'm sure it is coming.

On a happier note my sons new truck runs on Biodiesel at least he is green. The car I have now is getting very good mileage but I still try to plan my trips.

[Guest]

Yes, the dollar's on par, too. CDN versus American doesn't matter with the gasoline, the trucking companies are charging more for shipping on account of that, and milk is getting so expensive it is crazy! Tea? Coffee? They just went up, too.

I took a chance using the tomatoes, and washed them well. But that doesn't solve the problem.

With the mad cow scares, casoline prices and contaminated products, maybe we need Victory Gardens again.

Greenhouse tomatoes lack the taste, anyway. So, get a hydroponic unit, grow things in the basement, and let the cops come in after your nosey neighbor thinks you are growing weed. HAH!

My folks did this in the '70s and no one called. Grew veggies, that is. We also had a surge in prices and rented out a plot in the suburbs to grow things. Someone put an article in the local paper about the plots, and they were ransacked by sickos.

Well, at least my ex buys in bulk, there's little take-out now, and on what I eat a nouse could lose weight. Mosca up here can afford it 'cause he's a CFL vet; I can't.

Restaurants? Now we need to read their health certificate before entering the joints! And I did see a deli person NOT wash up or glove.

There's one thing I don't understand: Why the Chinese would use Melamine as a fertilizer.

[angelina]

I'm eating less...but consuming more alcohol.

Just kidding of course.

Besides the price of basics having gone up......I bought my dog's venison & potato food from the vet today. It was up nearly 20% from last month.

John

[darlene]

Everything's up. Wages haven't gone up, though, as someone in chat reminded me last night. We always grow a huge garden and this summer I'm especially glad to have it.

I'm glad that the new law requiring foods to be labelled as to country of origin will be going into effect in the fall. Bess is smart to buy only locally grown tomatoes and strawberries. And the price of transporting all goods has risen due to the gasoline prices. Hang in there, everyone. It HAS to get better.

--Darlene

[Paulie Mississippi]

Hang in there, everyone. It HAS to get better.

From your mouth to God's ear.

However... I'm more than a little concerned about what is being referred to as "Obamanomics"... the thought and speculation that we are headed for a huge stock-market crash this fall should Obama win the election... given that one of his campaign promises is to raise the taxes on stock profits; many are theorizing that most investors who look to lose a fortune in taxes will bail out of the market before he takes office...

That is just one of the many nuggets that can be gleaned from the "campaign" promises he is making... and imagine, most politicians wait to announce their really nasty "tax and spend" ideas until after they actually win!

[Muzza]

Our "money people" have just released figures to show are GDP is minus 0.3 for the first quarter and if this continues for the next quarter our country will officially be in recession.

We have had droughts which have affected grass growth and water levels in crucial areas thus many farmers have no food for the stock and there is no water to generate power.

Petrol is $8.50 per gallon and diesel around $7.00 so travel costs and transport costs are high and as others have noted here this impacts on food prices.

Also with the NZ dollar being "high" against the US dollar our exporters are hurting but importers have been having a ball. However, with other costs so high and as Darlene said incomes remaining static people can't afford to buy so the retailers are hurting.

The speculators who are keeping the Oil Prices high are the people who need dealing to as they are affecting the whole world economy.

Fortunately Kiwi and I are able to grow a lot of veges in our garden and without using pesticides,

Muzza