Locals Weigh in on Rising Cost of Vegetables
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a 38% surge in the wholesale price of vegetables in July.
This is the biggest price spike for any product category month-to-month.
“It's insane. That's why I'm growing a lot more myself this year,” said Dana Roads, who is visiting from Utah.
Roads says she’s saving money by cutting out the middle man.
“I’m growing tomatoes, peppers and corn. I believe they call that the trifecta,” said Roads.
Economists say tariffs, weather, and supply chain issues could be to blame for the rising cost of vegetables.
But it remains to be seen if this is the beginning of a long-term trend that will translate to higher prices at the store.
The owners of Tricounty Produce say they haven’t seen a reason to raise prices, because they source about 75% of their produce from local growers.
“It doesn't have to sit in the factory. It doesn't have to take 8 hours to get here in the truck. We drive 10 minutes and we pick it up. It's pretty simple,” said Tricounty Produce Co-Owner Jaime Desales Jr.
For the other 25% that gets imported it’s a slightly different story.
Jaime Desales shows how eggplant is $1.50 today compared to about $1 three months ago.
That’s a 50% increase.
Another possible explanation for the rise in wholesale prices is the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
A shortage of workers could lead to lost crops down the line.
"A lot of the product is being lost because there's nobody to work. So it's the product that has been picked has been raised maybe 35 to 40%,” said Jaime Desales.
In June, Trump said he “cherished our farmers,” saying the administration was developing a permit that would allow some immigrant workers, including agricultural employees to retain legal status.
However, he had previously reversed an effort to afford legal protection to agricultural workers.
“People need to realize who is out there growing and harvesting your crops and support them and buy local,” said Dana Roads.
Fresh fruits are experiencing a different trend.
The wholesale prices of fresh fruits were actually down 6% in July.
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