Economy

mahatmakanejeeves

(67,776 posts) Sun Aug 31, 2025, 08:55 AM Aug 2025

'It's like when you see the tsunami coming in': Agricultural economists sound the alarm about produce prices doubling

This discussion thread is pinned.

Reposted by Kevin M. Kruse
https://bsky.app/profile/kevinmkruse.bsky.social

hilzoy
‪@hilzoy.bsky.social‬

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Whee!

fortune.com/2025/08/28/t...

‘It’s like when you see the tsunami coming in’: Agricultural economists are sounding the alarm about produce prices doubling
Consumers “don’t have a clue what’s going on,” said Raymond Robertson, a labor economist.
fortune.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:02 PM

Whee!

fortune.com/2025/08/28/t...
— hilzoy (@hilzoy.bsky.social) 2025-08-30T00:02:13.560Z

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

'It's like when you see the tsunami coming in': Agricultural economists sound the alarm about produce prices doubling (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Aug 2025 OP

Consumers will have a clue once they're paying more Fiendish Thingy Aug 2025 #1

Here in Cali we are already paying more Nigrum Cattus Aug 2025 #2

I'd guess we really start feeling it at Thanksgiving underpants Aug 2025 #3

Some consumers don't have a clue. mwmisses4289 Aug 2025 #4

Some items have already doubled nitpicked Aug 2025 #5

And don't rely on US agriculture nitpicked Aug 2025 #6

Rural America is suffering an economic crisis as crop prices plunge, Fortune, 8/30/25 progree Aug 2025 #7

Wow. . . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2025 #8

These are not supply and demand problems like in the Great Depression bucolic_frolic Sep 2025 #9

Whole Foods and Kroger are really holding the line on prices - for now peppertree Oct 22 #10

Fiendish Thingy

(21,724 posts)

1. Consumers will have a clue once they're paying more

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:03 AM

Aug 2025

Just in time for the midterms.

Gerrymandering ain’t gonna save the GOP.

Nigrum Cattus

(1,145 posts)

2. Here in Cali we are already paying more

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:08 AM

Aug 2025

Only certain items. Most things that are labor
intensive to harvest. Why the repugs won't issue
agricultural visas wholesale is very foolish

underpants

(194,221 posts)

3. I'd guess we really start feeling it at Thanksgiving

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:10 AM

Aug 2025

definitely Christmas

mwmisses4289

(2,922 posts)

4. Some consumers don't have a clue.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:17 AM

Aug 2025

Others very much do!

nitpicked

(1,562 posts)

5. Some items have already doubled

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:21 AM

Aug 2025

At a local store, an 8-pound bag of potatoes could be found for $2.77 last year: now it is $5.99 when on sale.

Dollar Tree used to have 6 packs of ramen for a dollar; now it's five packs for $1.50.

Just wait until the tariffs REALLY kick in. Will canned tuna skyrocket too?

nitpicked

(1,562 posts)

6. And don't rely on US agriculture

Reply to nitpicked (Reply #5)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:25 AM

Aug 2025

Long gone are the days when there were lots of farmboys fit enough (like my father) to hire out to help others with the harvest.

Who else is there fit enough to help out on farms now?

progree

(12,632 posts)

7. Rural America is suffering an economic crisis as crop prices plunge, Fortune, 8/30/25

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Aug 31, 2025, 09:38 AM

Aug 2025

Last edited Thu Sep 4, 2025, 07:14 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220599123

. . .They have asked lawmakers to help increase access to export markets, including China, which is still locked in a trade war with the U.S.

. . . U.S. producers of corn and soybeans have sent dire warnings as prices for their crops have crashed in recent years while ... Donald Trump’s trade war whipsaws farmers.

. . . Corn prices have plunged more than 50% from their 2022 peak, while production costs are down just 3% in that span, translating to a loss of 85 cents per bushel, the NCGA [National Corn Growers Association] said, adding that the outlook for next year is worse with even lower prices and higher costs.

On the other hand,

WHOLESALE VEGETABLE PRICES UP 38.9% in One MONTH
https://www.today.com/food/news/wholesale-vegetable-prices-skyrocket-rcna225193

From the source (Producer Price Index, aka wholesale prices) :
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.t02.htm Final Demand goods -> final demand foods -> fresh and dry vegetables
+38.9% from June to July, seasonally adjusted