Post freeze economic impact on food prices

[flatbutt]

I'm hearing reports of chicken flocks and beef cattle dying in the weather. How about certain crops? I'm no farmer so IDK about citrus or winter crops.

https://www.usda.gov/media/radio/daily-newsline/2021-02-16/cold-weather-impacts-livestock-winter-wheat

https://farmpolicynews.illinois.edu/2019/10/freezing-temperatures-and-snow-bring-harvest-challenges/

[wdfifteen]

We've had a heater on in our chicken coop. They would probably be fine without it because we haven't let them outside in the snow/sleet/rain we've had in the past 2 weeks. If they leave their chickens outside in Texas and they get wet they'll freeze to death below 20 degrees. Some local farmers couldn't get all their dairy cows in in the blizzard of '78 and some of them got frozen udders. I don't think beef cattle or hogs care about cold down to -20 or so unless they get wet. But they aRe less efficient at putting on weight.

Fruits and vegetables are wiped out.

Food is going to be more expensive because there will be less available.

[Jolly Amaranto]

I have a ton of citrus from all the neighbors trees that we harvested before the freeze. Don't have to worry about scurvy at least.

[KNS]

When the pandemic hit, there were lots of explanations why food prices went up (trucking, food processing, etc). Most of those things have since returned to normal.

Why are food prices still so high?

[Rick Lee]

Fuel prices will drive up food prices. We've seen gas go up over $.60/gal in the last month. I don't think that's going to turn around anytime soon. And just about everything you eat gets delivered to market by a combustion engine.

[ben parrish]

Record food inflation this year. Covid is still hampering processing and fuel is continuing to rise. The reality is that food in the US is still pretty cheap but we have seen about 10% inflation this year alone. Truck drivers are in serious high demand and the prices now being paid to hire good delivery drivers is approaching 100k.
There is ALWAYS something going on in the process that causes a disruption/reason for price increases.

[KevinTodd]

Our suppliers are already warning of impending price increases and potential product shortages. We see it with every ripple in the weather as well as with the social unrest in so many cities. Some of it is clearly legitimate, and some of it is unscrupulous suppliers simply charging more for product they purchased on future pricing months ago. There's almost always another choice from whom to buy from in each category, but by and large our prices at the store level reflect our ever-increasing cost of doing business.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by KevinTodd

Our suppliers are already warning of impending price increases and potential product shortages. We see it with every ripple in the weather as well as with the social unrest in so many cities. Some of it is clearly legitimate, and some of it is unscrupulous suppliers simply charging more for product they purchased on future pricing months ago. There's almost always another choice from whom to buy from in each category, but by and large our prices at the store level reflect our ever-increasing cost of doing business.

Ahh can you tell me why this is going on...? And why are the unscrupulous able to get away with charging more?

[KevinTodd]

Originally Posted by tabs

Ahh can you tell me why this is going on...? And why are the unscrupulous able to get away with charging more?

Simple wholesale supply and demand creates the ripple effect in the market, and some suppliers (not all) will base their pricing protocol on national market conditions rather than local availability and economics, which I consider to be less than honest. For instance, I purchase shrimp locally, from an independent fisherman, as I won't serve product industrially farmed in or out of the U.S. His catch isn't affected by the weather in Texas; his cost of business does not increase, therefore his prices should not increase either (and they have not).

I buy brisket from a jobber out of Texas--who warehouses the cryovaced goods until they're ordered by the retail outlet (me). They buy on the futures market, already at bulk discount, and although the weather in Texas will affect them when they reorder--it does not affect them on what they currently have--yet they announced my pricing would go up dramatically effective immediately. The scale should be set on what they paid for their product and not what they expect to pay once the weather settles. It is dishonest. They do it because they can--and because most people just let it go without question. I do not. I shop around and find another supplier. A lot of this is also the less-than-knowledgeable sales force that I deal with on a daily basis.

I get it--that's the free market, but I see it from all ends, as I have owned and operated dozens of businesses in my life--and have been on the supply and distribution side in many of them.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Fuel prices will drive up food prices. We've seen gas go up over $.60/gal in the last month. I don't think that's going to turn around anytime soon. And just about everything you eat gets delivered to market by a combustion engine.

More like the last few weeks.

[tabs]

I don't know where you BOyz shop but at my local market Salmon and Shrimp is $4 lb, last week Brown Onions 7lb for a $1. Broccoli 2lb $1, Roma Tomatoes 2lb $1, Sm Avocados 3 $1, Pork Sreww Meat $1.49 lb, Pork Rib Roast $.99 lb

Alberstons..Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast .99 lb, butter $2.47 lb. BF mayo $2.99,

Sams Gallon milk $2.56, Half/hALF QT $1.78, 2 LB Sharp Chedder Cheese $5.57

You Boyz sound like the typical Rube Americans who shops indiscriminately at Whole Foods. If you watch your ads and plan accordingly you can eat well for a modest cost. When stuff goes on sale buy in bulk. You can freeze stuff you know...

My local SAMS CAN NOT KEEP the 5 to 7 cu ft Freezers in stock..They will bring in 30 of them and in a coupla days they is gone..

[Arizona_928]

Freezers only work if you power.

My appliances are ran on solar.