The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

FOOD retailers yesterday warned that vegetable prices will continue to increase with the cost for a case of lettuce soaring by 119 percent compared to normal times.

Philip Beneby, the Retail Grocers Association’s (RGA) president, told Tribune Business that the lettuce price spike has resulted from a combination of weather-related issues that have impacted growers and supply chain challenges. These woes, he added, are also impacting the costs of other vegetables.

“The price of a case of lettuce is over $125 now, up from $57 in normal times. But we have it good; our prices are even cheaper than in the US. In Canada, iceberg lettuce was as high as $11.99 per head, and Romaine lettuce was as high as $15,” Mr Beneby said.

The average price for a head of lettuce in New Providence grocery stores is between $6 and $10 for Iceberg lettuce, and $13 for Romaine lettuce on some Family Islands.

Mr Beneby added: “All of this has to do with the supply chain challenges, but also the weather they are having in California. I also expect other vegetables to increase as well. They have been higher than they would usually be, but I don’t know how high they expect to go around this time of the year.”

Eggs are “extremely” high as well. “If eggs aren’t $12 a dozen it isn’t far,” Mr Beneby said. “Every year egg prices go up. Limes are also going to begin to increase by the end of the year going into Easter. With seasonal items, it happens every year.”

Lettuce prices on the Family Islands hit a record $15 per head earlier this year, prompting more calls for investment in Bahamian agriculture to eventually help stem imported inflation on food items.

The government has engaged the Israeli firm, Volcani International Partnerships, to help develop farming on a mass scale. The investment in this partnership is $3m, and is intended to develop cultivation centres for Eleuthera and New Providence first, then to expand to the other Family Islands.