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By Jaryn Vecchio

Who's To Blame?

Sask. farmer believes ag sector getting undeserved blame for high food prices

Aug 8, 2023 | 1:28 PM

One farmer in Saskatchewan believes his sector is being blamed for the rising food prices.

Kerry Peterson farms in the Shellbrook area and told farmnewsNOW there are several reasons why it costs more at the grocery store, but it has little to do with the price of crops.

“At the end of the day, there are 80 loaves of bread in one bushel of wheat,” he said. “If we double the price of wheat right now, that would add another 10 to 11 cents a loaf.”

This is because flour only makes up, on average, roughly two-thirds of the ingredients that are needed to make a loaf.

Yeast, another ingredient that allows the bread to rise, is also more expensive. According to Selina Wamucii, the cost of wheat in Canada is between $0.45 (US) and $ 0.91 (US) per pound, while yeast is between $2.26 (US) and $4.53 (US) per pound.

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In Peterson’s opinion, the ones who should be getting the blame are the grocery chains.

“The prices that they charge are what’s causing this,” he said.

Peterson is also frustrated that these companies continue to post large profits when so many people, including farmers, are struggling to put food on the table.

“We have to buy our food as well and it’s frustrating when people aren’t educated on how much product in their food actually comes from the farm,” he said.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow