Fruit question

[Special K]

I was in the produce section of a local grocery store the other day and bought some blueberries. For some reason, they are only sold prepackaged in tiny little containers, whereas pretty much every other type of fruit (except berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.) in the store is out in the open, and is priced per lb. The berries are quite expensive - like $3 or so for a tiny little package.

I noticed from the label that all of these products are apparently grown in California. So my question is, are these fruits really cheap in California, and expensive elsehwere, or are they really that scarce (compared to something like apples or bananas) that they must be priced that high to turn a profit?

 

[Eli]

Blueberries are much more "specialty" than something like apples or bananas, they always have been and probably always will be more expensive - especially ones grown in the US.

 

[notfred]

Compare the amount of effort required to pick 1lb. of apples by hand vs the amount of effort required to pick 1lb of tiny little berries by hand.

I'm about to go out ot the store, and I live in California. What berries do you want prices on?

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: notfred
Compare the amount of effort required to pick 1lb. of apples by hand vs the amount of effort required to pick 1lb of tiny little berries by hand.

I'm about to go out ot the store, and I live in California. What berries do you want prices on?

strawberries
blueberries
blackberries
raspberries

Those are the only ones I can think of.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: notfred
Compare the amount of effort required to pick 1lb. of apples by hand vs the amount of effort required to pick 1lb of tiny little berries by hand.

I'm about to go out ot the store, and I live in California. What berries do you want prices on?

strawberries
blueberries
blackberries
raspberries

Those are the only ones I can think of.

I'll have prices for you in 1/2 hour or so.

 

[notfred]

At Safeway, in Northern Califorina:

Strawberries - 4lb box for $3.99, product of California.
Raspberries - 6oz box for $3.99, product of California.
Blackberries - 6oz box, $3.00, imported
Blueberries - 4.4oz box, $3.00, imported

 

[ballmode]

blueberrys are good for you

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: notfred
At Safeway, in Northern Califorina:

Strawberries - 4lb box for $3.99, product of California.
Raspberries - 6oz box for $3.99, product of California.
Blackberries - 6oz box, $3.00, imported
Blueberries - 4.4oz box, $3.00, imported

Hmmm, that's about what it is here, except for the strawberries. That's how much I pay for 1 lb.:Q

I guess I'll just have to pay more for 'rare' fruit.

 

[ballmode]

Cali fruit mmm

 

[Rumpltzer]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: notfred
At Safeway, in Northern Califorina:

Strawberries - 4lb box for $3.99, product of California.
Raspberries - 6oz box for $3.99, product of California.
Blackberries - 6oz box, $3.00, imported
Blueberries - 4.4oz box, $3.00, imported

Hmmm, that's about what it is here, except for the strawberries. That's how much I pay for 1 lb.:Q

I guess I'll just have to pay more for 'rare' fruit.

Yeah, I noticed when I came to California for the first time that the price of food is not less expensive at all. Milk and bread are actually a lot more expensive than in the Midwest where I went to undergrad and part of grad school. This despite California cheese commercials and the ability to smell strawberries, cabbage, broccoli, onions, etc. as you drive up the US101 at 85mph.

I now live in the southern Los Angeles. We've got Shell and Exxon refineries in the 10 mile vicinity, and gas still costs $3.35 a gallon for the regular stuff.

 

[habib89]

they have mexicans just go around selling strawberries in the street.. they're super cheap here

 

[astrocase]

I always found it weird about the prices in California. Example: I was in Europe and could get 3 avocados for $1 that they imported from the Middle East. At the same time in California one avocado cost $1. We grow them here though and I've actually picked them off the tree.

 

[mrrman]

We get alot of fruit in Canada from CA and its costs 1/2 as much to buy it here than there,,,figure that one out