Posted on 03/25/2014 9:38:15 AM PDT by blam
Why Food Prices Are Surging
Matthew Boesler
Mar. 25, 2014, 12:06 PM
Since the beginning of the year, food prices have been on a tear.
In a new report, Morgan Stanley commodities analysts led by Adam Longson attribute the surge in prices to a number of factors, "from weather (in the case of sugar, soybeans and coffee) to disease (in the case of hogs) to geopolitics (wheat and corn)."
The Morgan Stanley analysts don't believe this will continue.
"To date, weather concerns in South America have proven overstated, as evidenced in the recent declines in sugar prices," they say.
"Tensions in the FSU do not appear to have disrupted grain shipments, nor do we expect them to going forward, barring further Russian incursions into Ukraine. Even disease pressures in the U.S. hog herd (though very real) should ease as we move into the warmer months."
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Our Walmart and local store are priced the same (if Walmart isn’t higher sometimes).
The last grocery bill was a killer. I never wanted to become one of those people with a fistful of coupons at checkout, but I have.
I'll buy every item on the shelf that I like because it could be months before they have it again.
I complained to the manager that I often leave the store not getting 20% of the items on my list because they're out of them.
She said, "Sir, that's a warehousing problem." As if that was an adequate answer to me.
I said, "Maam, it's your problem and I'd be at headquarters in Arkansas if I were a manager with your problems."
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think it may be a combination of problems. The “just in time” supply model seems to be failing.
I’ve entertained the idea that one suspect in this might be Amazon. Yea.......that sounds nuts, but take, for example Tostitos Cantina Style Chipotle sauce. Walmart and the chain groceries have been out of that for months. So, my wife went to Amazon grocery site........they’ve got it; but it comes in at something like $10.00 a bottle, or did when she was looking.
Is it possible that Amazon has hijacked the supply model by buying in huge bulk quantities from the manufacturer?
The price of the soup I buy went up 33% last week. That’s a lot more than the inflation rate.
One super-center I go to has a regional distribution center within sight of the store. It is still missing some things from the shelves. This one is pretty good overall though. I think the biggest problem they have is getting and keeping competent employees.
I’m sure if we had elected Romney if nothing else we’d have the pipeline..Russia wouldn’t be invading countries..and there would be no obamanocare with demands for Catholics and Mormons to pay for abortion against their will....
This might be a good year to learn to do a little gardening. City dwellers? At least try some salad fixings and herbs.
I believe that Romney would have NO DEMANDS that anyone violate their conscience ; that would be the difference.
It would make no difference if you were Mormon , Catholic , Protestant , Wiccan , Atheist, etc., etc..
That is the difference between someone who believes in " Free Agency" who has Execitive expierience ,
versus an idealogue Narcissist with no Executive expierience who surrounds himself with "Yes " men, all of who think as he does.
Actually gas went back down, in 2008 I paid over four dollars for a gallon for the first time. Later that same year it briefly went down to a dollar forty, it just would not stay down that low but I bought today for $3.19 which is still well below four dollars.
Yes, I well remember the days when people would pull up to the pump and tell the attendant to, “Give me two dollars worth.” That would have been half a tank or thereabouts on most cars.
Great but most of Canada and the upper Midwest is still snow covered and frozen. Frost is 5-8 feet deep, and it is almost May! Don't count on Canada for a bumper crop this year. Dido Siberia.
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