Food prices increasing, possible shortages (merged topics)

[Cedar]

Stats for the USDA say for the western US, "Population Affected by Drought: 52,242,708"

Cedar

[jhop]

That number is incredible.   I wonder how many people realize food prices are going to sky rocket this year.

[r_w]

Not enough.  Although with the election cycle coming up, they will try to keep it under control.  Unsuccessfully.

[nkawtg]

There is a conspiracy of diminishing food supplies.
Here's the proof

[nkawtg]

On a more serious note:
Do biofuel policies seek to cut emissions by cutting food?


http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-03/pu-dbp032715.php

[mountainmoma]

There is a conspiracy of diminishing food supplies.
Here's the proof

If that is recent, they werent grown in the US at all were they ? Were they from Chile ?

[CharlesH]

I'm not even sure Chili could make grapeless, grapes.  At ths rate, the only thing the stores will soo stock is foodless food... 

[mountainmoma]

I'm not even sure Chili could make grapeless, grapes.  At ths rate, the only thing the stores will soo stock is foodless food... 

I didnt even notice the typo in the sign !!

 I thought the comment was being sarcastic as the price is so low.....and I was thinking, yeah imported junky grapes are cheap  --- but real food is getting expensive

[Cedar]

Cedar

[designergirl28]

This is probably a stupid question, but does anyone know how much food actually comes from Cali? not just talking "fresh" veggies/fruit, but frozen, canned, nuts ect? I work in a grocery store so I know what comes in fresh, but can't even fathom what it entails for the rest of it.

[Cedar]

This is probably a stupid question, but does anyone know how much food actually comes from Cali? not just talking "fresh" veggies/fruit, but frozen, canned, nuts ect? I work in a grocery store so I know what comes in fresh, but can't even fathom what it entails for the rest of it.

California agriculture generates roughly $37.5 billion annually, more than any other state.

California produces: (as of 2 years ago)

90% of the broccoli grown in the USA
99% of artichokes
99%  of walnuts
97% of kiwis
97% of plums
95% of celery
95% of tomatoes destined for canning
95% of garlic
90% leaf lettuce
89% of cauliflower
88% fresh strawberries
86% of lemons
84% peaches
83% of Romaine lettuce
71% of spinach
69% of carrots
50% of bell peppers
25% oranges
44% of asparagus
1/5th of cabbage
2/3rds of carrots

Not to mention dairy, beef, and other commodities.

Cedar

[designergirl28]

Good lord have mercy. That is a lot of food to have shortages/price increases on. If prices rise as much as I can see them going (based on what I am seeing with the flower shortages I have from the affected areas, that normally are a precursor to the seasonal veggies/fruits) my grocery list will have to be slashed and the budget in that area will not go as far. Time to go shopping and add to my Lts.

 Thanks Cedar for that info.

[Ms. Albatross]

And my favorite - avocados.  90% of the fresh avocados come from California.

[Cedar]

How historic California drought affects rest of nation, often for the worse
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/03/us/california-drought/index.html

Cedar

[Cedar]

This April's drought footprint is the largest April drought footprint in more than a decade.

"There’s been much talk of the severe droughts currently plaguing the West and High Plains, but drought has quietly but steadily crept into the Midwest. According to the last report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 45.89% of the Midwest is currently categorized as having some level of drought. That’s the highest level it has been this time of year in more than a decade."

"The National Weather Service's (NWS) says drought is likely to develop in the eastern portions of the Dakotas, across Minnesota and southern Wisconsin, while the long-lasting drought across the Plains could see some improvement, but largely remain intact. "
http://www.profarmer.com/news-analysis/commodities/nws-drought-likely-to-develop-in-upper-midwest-by-spring

Drought Devastating Southeastern Colorado
http://www.agweb.com/article/drought_devestating_southeastern_colorado_NAA_News_Release/

California rice crops. In a typical year, rice farms flood 250,000 to 300,000 acres in winter, but this year as few as 50,000 acres may be flooded because of water restrictions, according to the rice commission.
http://www.agweb.com/article/drought-hurts-california-rice-harvest-associated-press/


Around the world:
World Ag highlights
http://www.usda.gov/oce/weather/pubs/Monthly/current.pdf


Between winter kill, war and economics, Russia will grow less wheat this year
http://www.agweb.com/article/russian-farms-losing-money-on-cheap-wheat-exporter-group-says-blmg/

Ukraine not shipping as much wheat
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-23/ukraine-moves-to-limit-wheat-shipments-as-food-concerns-spread






"South Africa is importing corn for the first time in 11 months as the worst drought since 1992 destroyed crops in the continent’s biggest producer, the largest local grain farmers’ organization said.
The nation will need to import 934,000 metric tons of yellow corn, worth about $137 million at current international prices, from countries such as Argentina and Ukraine in the year through to the end of March 2016. "
http://www.agweb.com/article/south-africas-worst-drought-since-1992-prompts-corn-imports-blmg/

Cedar

[Cedar]

- Last week in the Brazilian city of São Paulo, home to 20 million people, and once known as the City of Drizzle,drought got so bad that residents began drilling through basement floors and car parks to try to reach groundwater. City officials warned last week that rationing of supplies was likely soon. Citizens might have access to water for only two days a week, they added.

- In California, officials have revealed that the state has entered its fourth year of drought with January this year becoming the driest since meteorological records began. At the same time, per capita water use has continued to rise.

- At a media briefing late last week to discuss impacts of the four-year drought on rice growers, the California Rice Commission said it expects more land will be idled this year, but exactly how much won't be known until later this spring. Growers planted 23 percent less rice acreage in 2014 than in 2013, according to the commission. http://www.agalert.com/story/?id=8169

April 9th, 2015 crop production report
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProd/CropProd-04-09-2015.txt

Cedar

- In the Middle East, swaths of countryside have been reduced to desert because of overuse of water. Iran is one of the most severely affected. Heavy overconsumption, coupled with poor rainfall, have ravaged its water resources and devastated its agricultural output. Similarly, the United Arab Emirates is now investing in desalination plants and waste water treatment units because it lacks fresh water. "Now water is more important than oil".

Water Stress Map



- Venezuela will begin installing some 20,000 fingerprint scanners at supermarkets nationwide in a bid to stamp out hoarding and panic buying, which the government blames for long lines and widespread shortages of basic goods
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/03/08/venezuela-to-install-finger-scanners-in-supermarkets-to-tackle-hoarding-panic/


Current USDA crop report
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-04-27-2015.txt

[Bonnieblue2A]

This H5N2 avian flu that has spread across commercial turkey and chicken farms in the Midwest also has the potential to drive up both the price of poultry meat and eggs.

[Cedar]

This H5N2 avian flu that has spread across commercial turkey and chicken farms in the Midwest also has the potential to drive up both the price of poultry meat and eggs.

Actually it is worse than that. The Californian Rice crops are less. But they are not only used for rice. 85% of waterfowl which migrate in this area, are using the rice areas. With less rice areas, with them not having the water in them, the birds are flocking to areas with the water (the remaining water laden rice fields), so they are condensing population which will cause more disease issues, including H5N2.
http://www.calwaterfowl.org/drought
http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article2605292.html
http://www.ducks.org/conservation/farm-bill/rice-and-ducks---by-matt-young

Cedar

[Cedar]

I don't usually pay much attention to North Korea, but a totally different kind of article prodded me to look into the drought there. It is the worst in 100 years. North Korea faces further food shortages as production in the country’s main growing region is expected to be cut in half, the United Nations food agency said.  Potato, wheat and barley harvests were at risk of being cut by up to 50% in drought-hit areas.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/19/north-korea-fears-famine-as-drought-halves-food-production-says-un

Country expected to face famine if unusually dry weather continues as 30 percent of its rice paddies dry up.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/north-korea-hit-worst-drought-century-150617175703554.html

Cedar

[Cedar]

[jhop]

Today I learned there is a world wide shortage of Canned Mushrooms.  I'll try and post the pick I took at the grocery store.   

[r_w]

And the wet weather here has ruined much of the wheat crop.  Not sure how widespread the damage is.

[Cedar]

Cedar

[nkawtg]

Eggs surpass Chicken meat in price.
Though the chart is a bit misleading by using chicken breast as the standard rather than whole chicken.

[Cedar]

There is a conspiracy of diminishing food supplies.
Here's the proof

They are GMO or synthetic?

Cedar

[nkawtg]

For Grapeless Grapes? They've got to be GMO.

[Cedar]

For Grapeless Grapes? They've got to be GMO.

Or the stuff what they make grape Mr Misty drinks out of... *Blagh* To me, they smell like those grape smelling pencil erasers we had in the 4th grade.

Cedar

[nkawtg]

I haven't been to a Dairy Queen in a long time.

[Cedar]

Millions of locusts have descended on farmlands in southern Russia, devouring entire fields of crops and causing officials to declare a state of emergency in the region. A vast area of at least 800 hectares is currently being affected as the swarms of insects, each measuring about 8 centimeters long, annihilate fields of corn and other crops. It's been more than 30 years since this part of southern Russia suffered such a dense plague of locusts, according to local officials. Officials say at least 10% of crops have already been destroyed, and the locust feeding frenzy is far from over, threatening to devastate the livelihoods of local farmers.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/04/europe/russia-locust-swarms/

Cedar

[Sunshine]

Millions of locusts have descended on farmlands in southern Russia, devouring entire fields of crops and causing officials to declare a state of emergency in the region. A vast area of at least 800 hectares is currently being affected as the swarms of insects, each measuring about 8 centimeters long, annihilate fields of corn and other crops. It's been more than 30 years since this part of southern Russia suffered such a dense plague of locusts, according to local officials. Officials say at least 10% of crops have already been destroyed, and the locust feeding frenzy is far from over, threatening to devastate the livelihoods of local farmers.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/04/europe/russia-locust-swarms/

Cedar

So... pestilence, famine, plagues of locusts...  check, check, and check.   

Seriously though, looking at the last couple pages of graphs that Cedar posted and watching the progression through the months... it's very eye opening.