Why we're seeing lower prices for imported strawberries

While the cost of groceries remains high, surprisingly one item is being sold relatively cheaply right now – imported strawberries.

A bumper crop in California is pushing down prices, and while that may be good news for consumers and their wallets, it may pose challenges for Canadian strawberry producers, whose season is just starting.

“Right now, our own farmers are competing against berries coming from abroad that are really much more affordable,” explained Sylvain Charlebois, the senior director at the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.

Charlebois said lots of rain created the abundance of California berries.

“They’ve exported over $60 million of strawberries. A lot of it is coming to Canada.”

Charlebois said the overall cost of food these days may have some reaching for the cheapest option on grocery store shelves.

James Herrle, of Herrle’s Farm Market in St. Agatha, Ont., sees it a little differently. According to him, many people are willing to pay more for food that’s locally grown.

“I think most people are pretty supportive of Ontario agriculture and realize if we want to have farms, if we want to have to have Ontario farm produce, we have to be prepared to pay for it. We can’t expect farmers to produce it at a loss,” Herrle explained.

Strawberries growing at the Herrle’s farm in St. Agatha, Ont. (Krista Simpson/CTV Kitchener)

Both Herrle and Charlebois also note that there’s a major difference between strawberries shipped from California and those picked close to home – the flavour.

“A good, sun-warmed strawberry, there’s nothing like it,” insists Herrle.

“They’re fresher, tastier,” Charlebois added. “Anyone who’s actually bought imported berries will attest that really the taste and the flavour is just different. So yes, they’re cheaper, but farmers are offering a different product. A local product.”

Those excited for strawberries grown in southwestern Ontario won’t have to wait much longer.

At Herrle’s farm, picking season will start in the next day or two.

“Hopefully every day we’re picking a few more, and we’re hoping that by next week, pick-your-own will be starting already,” he said.

The season is starting a bit earlier than other years, given the warmer weather, but Herrle says that’s good because people are ready for ripe berries.