Canadian consumers in Alberta are looking closer to home for fresh produce, as drought in parts of the U.S. and the high value of the dollar pushed up the price of fresh fruit and vegetables in the province. Vegetables in January 2016 were 18.4-per-cent higher compared to January 2015, while the cost of fresh fruit was up 12 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
Eric Doef, a partner in Doef’s Greenhouses near Lacombe, says they grow peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant and cucumbers in 4-1/2 hectares of greenhouses and he’s running into more demand from health- and quality-conscious consumers for items cultivated nearby.
“If people want to eat healthy, they’re looking at more local and fresh options. Guys like us can provide that. We’re seeing that trend year-over-year no matter what the price is or the American dollar is doing,” he says.
“Price is obviously a feature for a lot of shoppers, but a lot of times our farmers’ market prices are basically cheaper than it is in a lot of grocery store chains.”
Commercial production of seven major Alberta vegetables — beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, cucumbers, dry onions and green peas — was worth $25.5 million in 2014, up from $15.9 million the year before and $10.1 million in 2012, data from Alberta Agriculture shows.
That doesn’t include such valuable crops as potatoes.
Conny Kappler, executive director of the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association, agrees shoppers are becoming more interested in buying local products.
She doesn’t think what she sees as a temporary spike in import prices will lead to much growth in her 100-member association, which represents people selling from their farms.
“Farming is such a risky business, especially vegetables. They’re so sensitive to so many things — bugs, rain, hail,” Kappler says.
“Society wants local produce, and that is going to do more for bringing people into this industry than the prices.”
Source: edmontonjournal.com
