At State Farmers Market, the apples-to-apples comparison makes inflation apparent
While Wednesday's inflation report showed price increases easing a bit from last month's 40-year high, food prices were up for a 17th month in a row.
It's easy to do an apples-to-apples comparison at the North Carolina State Farmers Market. A year ago, locally-grown apples started at 99 cents a pound here. On Wednesday, the cheapest price per pound was almost double that at $1.79.
Farmers and shoppers told WRAL News that they hope the red-hot inflation will soon cool.
Cathy Jones and her family drove in from Holly Springs to stock up on local produce. She found greens that used to cost $1.99 per pound selling for $2.29 per pound.
"We’re all feeling the brunt of the high prices," she said.
She doesn't blame the farmers and vendors. "I know they’re dealing with hard times as well," she said.
Inflation is plumping up prices on many of the fresh ingredients at the farmers market.
Compared to prices of a year ago:
- Strawberries start at $1 more a quart.
- Asparagus starts at $2 more a pound.
- Apples, collard greens, red potatoes are up, too.
- Chicken costs $1.49 a pound more.
- For bacon, add an additional $2.50 per pound.
"Everything has changed now. The gas is high. The seed. Everything’s high," said Barbara Johnson. She hauls in food fresh from her family's farm in Sampson County every day.
"I have to fill up two times a week," she said. "It kills me. Oh, it hurts."
Rising costs at the farm and on the road to the market are forcing her to raise prices for consumers.
"We try not to do it too much, just a little to offset the cost of everything going up," she said.
"I’m hopeful that prices will continually come down and we’ll somewhere get back to a place of normalcy."
President Biden had farmers on his mind when he addresses inflation Wednesday. He announced plans to double the production of fertilizer.
