Shoppers looking for supplies for their Thanksgiving got little reprieve from poultry prices at the checkout.
People hoping to get a bargain on their big dinner Thursday who spoke to Global News came out of a downtown Halifax grocery store with sticker shock.
According to Sylvain Charlebois from the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab, prices of many staples have increased this year compared with October 2022.
The average price of turkey rose 18 per cent compared with last year’s Thanksgiving.
It joins potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin and butter with a double-digit increase in price.
Charlebois noted that the price of turkey is pushed by the cost of producing the turkey.
Currently, under the supply management program, farmers are compensated based on costs. Unlike wheat or other meats, which operate on what the market can handle, supply managers set prices and farmers often pass along the costs to consumers.
“What pushed prices higher? Carbon tax, feed cost and heating costs,” Charlebois said in an interview with Global News.
“So those farmers are price takers, not supply management. Supply management sets the price, and by law, you have to pay that price.”
The Halifax-based food economist said many shoppers may look for other options this year, like pork, which has seen little to no price increase.
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Non-profits in Halifax are getting set for what’s expected to be a busy weekend.
Souls Harbour in Downtown Halifax is getting set for its annual dinner. Many residents who can’t afford their own dinner come to its dinners, which have become increasingly hard for the non-profit.
The cost of food has made putting food on plates challenging in recent years.
“Our costs have gone up, even though we’re buying in bulk and buying from different suppliers that you and I purchase from,” Michelle Porter, the CEO of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, said in an interview with Global News on Thursday afternoon.
“The cost of groceries — we’re feeling that impact on our budget as well, and so perhaps that will increase the number of people we’ll serve as well.”
The group has increased its capacity as it gets ready to serve clients on Friday and Monday.
The group, which heavily relies on donations, said it’s ready to feed anyone who comes through its doors over the holiday despite scarce contributions.
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