Food prices on the rise for Edmonton shoppers

A drought in California means that shoppers will pay more for some vegetables in Canadathis summer.

We do import over $5 billion worth of agri-food every year from California, said Sylvain Charlebois, professor of food policy at the University of Guelph.

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A lot of it is lettuce, tomatoes, almonds and spinach so obviously this may have an impact on prices.

Vegetable prices arent the only thing on the rise at your local grocery store. Beef and pork are also costing more.

The price hikes are making Dale Witt change his buying habits.

If you want to buy a t-bone [steak], you start buying now a lesser cut, he said. It is expensive.

Charlebois says people can look to less expensive sources of protein if they are on a tight budget.

They can always opt for lentils and pulses and those kinds of things.

Chicken prices are staying the same, something that Witt is glad to see.

However, the jump in produce prices has got him thinking about starting a vegetable garden.