Alexa Gonzalez: A SIMPLE TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE ONCE A FUN FAMILY OUTTING HAS TURNED TO A FINANCIAL NIGHTMARE FOR SOME.
AS WE SEE A RISE IN FOOD PRICING ALL ACROSS THE NATION,THE CNY REGIONAL FARMERS MARKET TRIES TO REMAIN FAIR ON PRICING.
Linda Hahn: Most of our things are the same price they have been other years.
Gonzalez: SYRACUSE LOCAL LINDA HAHN HAS BEEN A VENDOR AT THIS MARKET SINCE THE 70S.
HAHN SAYS THEY ARE NOT TRYING TO SPECIFICALLY COMBAT INFLATION.
Hahn: But we have gone up on a few things to make up for some other things.
Gonzalez: ALTHOUGH FARMERS MAY NOT BE FEELING THE EFFECTS SYRACUSE RESIDENTS LIKE MICHELLE BETANCOURT SURE ARE.
Michelle Betancouart: We were spending probably like $75 for a good week of food, now it has gone up to $125.
Gonzalez: BETANCOURT HAS EVEN BEEN SEEING THE RISE AT THIS LOCAL MARKET.
A PACK OF APPLES THAT WAS ONCE A DOLLAR 50 IS NOW PRICED AT 5 OR 6 DOLLARS.
Betancouart: Its scary, it truly is a terrifying future for us and we don’t even have children and we’re afraid of what’s going to happen to our communities if we can’t provide for them.
Gonzalez: THE COST OF GROCERIES LIKE THE ONE IM HOLDING IS NOT EXPECTED TO GO
DOWN ANYTIME SOON. AS THE USDA SAYS IN 2023 PRICING IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 3 PERCENT.
ALEXA GONZALEZ N-C-C News
SYRACUSE, N.Y.(NCC News) – Across the nation the price of groceries has increased by nearly 12% in just 2022, according to the United States Bureau of Labor.
Creating lasting financial effects on the Syracuse community, residents have been hit hard, says Syracuse resident Michelle Betancouart.
“We were spending probably like $75 for a good week of food, now it has gone up to $125.”
As food prices rise the quantity decreases, and the quality of the goods continues to go down, says Betancouart. A pack of four apples in grocery stores can now cost upwards of eight dollars, says Betancouart.
The CNY Regional Farmers market has been a “blessing” to residents as people are able to give back to their community and find better quality cheaper foods, says Betancouart.
But farmers at the market are on the fence on whether or not this inflation has truly affected them.
Most of the vendors have been selling goods at this market for years. Since some of the farms are family owned it helps keep the labor costs down and food prices cheap, says owner of Daratt farms Randy Daratt.
“Basically our prices have stayed the same for the past four to five years,” says Daratt.
However not every farmer is as lucky. Some have had to increase prices to be able to make any sort of profit, says owner of Hahn farms Linda hahn.
The costs of the next grocery bill is not expected to go down, in 2023 it will rise up to 3%, according to the United States department of Agriculture.
