October 25, 2022 – Fruit and vegetable growers across Canada are continuing to feel the pressures of inflation and increased expenses as they work to feed Canadian families.
“Canadian fruit and vegetable growers work to put food on your table. They are a major contributor to food security in Canada and on a global scale,” said Rebecca Lee, Executive Director of FVGC. “We have seen increased costs for almost all of the inputs required to grow and sell fruits and vegetables, and growers are feeling the pinch. In recent conversations with some of our members, they have reported that many members are losing money and unable to reinvest in their business this year.”
Growers saw significant price increases in gasoline, fertilizer, propane, and packaging in the last year. Between May 2021 and May 2022, in Ontario, the price of nitrogen fertilizer increased by 121%, and the price of diesel fuel increased by 100%.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture recently passed a motion that will prompt an investigation into grocery store profits. The House of Commons also passed a unanimous motion to have the Government ask the Competition Bureau to investigate grocery chain profits. FVGC looks forward to these proceedings and what we may learn from the results.
Jan VanderHout, the President of FVGC said, “As a consumer myself I appreciate the challenges of escalating grocery bills while as a producer I experience the need to cover our rising costs of production in order to maintain financial viability for producers.”
The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) is an Ottawa-based voluntary, not-for-profit, national association that represents fruit and vegetable growers across Canada involved in the production of over 120 different types of crops on over 14,237 farms, with farm cash receipts of $5.7 billion in 2020. Since 1922, FVGC has advocated on important issues that impact Canada’s horticultural sector, promoting healthy, safe, and sustainable food, and ensuring the continued success and growth of our industry.
For more information, press only:
Rebecca Lee, Executive Director, FVGC
613-226-4880