The BLS reported a 38% increase in prices
for vegetables in their July report according to an article from the KEYT TV Santa Barbara, California news site dated 08/19/25 with a byline from Mina Wahab. I can attest to some items being scarce, unavailable or in poor condition near me in Wisconsin. Decent radishes are a problem and some stores seem to think huge radishes are good radishes or they have a weird bundle with some so tiny they can't be used lumped in the bunch with giant ones. Green beans aren't looking too good when I can find them. For some reason a plain yellow onion has been a problem for months and you can't always make do with a white onion, red onion, Vidalia onion etc.
Despite what the article says about fruit having declined in price I would point out that isn't the case by me or across the board. Berry prices are up and a decent muskmelon is iffy. Some are so unripe that cutting through them is like going through stone. Maybe some produce is getting picked and shipped before normal time just so growers can beat getting some of it picked with what labor they have left.
If you are a cabbage lover then this fall might be a shock also because this product is very much a labor intensive harvest. We'll see if pork prices along with cabbage prices make me skip my favorite fall slow cooker meal a few times.
On a good note though one of my local grocers has started giving some local growers more opportunities and Monday I was able to buy nice big cucumbers at 2 for $1.00 and big beautiful green, red, yellow and orange peppers at 4 for $3.00. As we all know supporting local vegetable growers/farmer's markets, buying eggs locally, buying beef locally, buying dairy products locally if available etc. are all very important for a better community and better health.
Wishes for good luck shopping and good eating for everyone.
https://keyt.com/news/agriculture/2025/08/19/locals-weigh-in-on-rising-cost-of-vegetables/
= new reply since forum marked as read
Gosh, did they forget that they lack of migrant workers might affect prices?
One farmer says he'll just plant more.
Another says they buy from right around the corner and won't be affected by tariffs.
Even the writer doesn't know if prices will continue to increase.
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