Americans are paying up to 40 percent more for their vegetables than in 2021, and drought is a big reason for the price hike.
A new report from the Daily Mail says the increase is due, in large part, to water cuts in states that grow fresh produce because of droughts. For example, Arizona produces 90 percent of the leafy greens in the U.S. and experienced its worst drought in 1,200 years. Water levels in the Colorado River are dramatically low, cutting down on the amount of water available to farmers. No relief is coming for Arizona’s farmers as officials will cut Arizona’s water intake from the Colorado River by 21 percent starting on January 1, 2023. The nation’s top agricultural state, California, is also getting hurt by severe drought.
The biggest increase was a 38 percent jump in the price of fresh and dry vegetables.
Source: NAFB News Service.