The Rural Voice, 2004-03, Page 14PRICE, SERVICE
& SATISFACTION
2001 DODGE DAKOTA
CLUB CAB SPORT
4x4, V8, auto, sharp truck in a nice
shade of silver.
$21,900
2002 DODGE DAKOTA
CLUB CAB SPORT
V6, auto, air, local trade, clean.
$20,500
2002 FORD F150
REGULAR CAB
6 cyl., stick, black, clean, local
owner, low kms.
96,900
2002 DODGE DURANGO SLT+
V8, auto, 4x4, leather, heated
seats, loaded, loaded.
529,900
HANOVER CHRYSLER
DODGE JEEP
664 -10th St.,
Hanover
1-866-788-8886
Phone: (519) 364-3570
CHRYSLER
Dodge
Jeep
10 THE RURAL VOICE
Jeffrey Carter
Apple economics 101
Jeffrey
y
Carter is a
freelance
journalist
based in
Dresden,
Ontario.
I picked up a bag of
Empire apples recently from the local
grocery outlet. I checked them
carefully. They were marked with
"Product of Canada." looked fine
from a visual standpoint, and seemed
firm to the touch.
I was disappointed, however,
when I brought the bag back home
and opened it. Several apples were
rotting at the places where they had
been touching each other in the bag.
In addition. the unblemished fruit had
a kind of mealy consistency and the
taste was unacceptable. 1 also noticed
the apples had been waxed.
About a week later I picked
another bag of apples up, this time
from a grower located at Ostrander.
just north of rillsonburg along
Highway 19. They had Empire apples
in bins and bags. fresh out of
controlled atmosphere storage. They
were unwaxed, crisp. and full of
flavour.
I mentioned my earlier experience
to the farmer serving me. She said the
waxing of apples is illegal in
Hol land.
Back at my local grocery store. I
talked to the owner, as diplomatically
as possible, about my earlier
unfavourable experience. He told that
when he orders apples, he must
simply take what's offered. That's
something I already recognized but it
was nice to hear it straight from the
grocer's mouth.
The situation brings to mind the
November 2003 report from the
National Farmers Union — The Farm
Crisis, Bigger Farms, and the Myths
of Competition and Efficiency. The
report suggests that with an increased
economy of scale there may be
efficiency gains but, at the same time,
efficiency can decrease when a
handful of companies emerge to
dominate any given market.
Just such a situation has
developed in Canada. Three or four
large companies dominate the
grocery retail sector. As a
representative of a large processing
company recently stated. "Without
them it's a disaster and with them it's
painful."
For retail companies with such
clout, quality does not necessarily
have to be part of their efficiency
equation. If their customers don't like
the Ontario apples they carry, they
can always sell them oranges, or sell
them apples from Chile, South
Africa. New Zealand, or Washington
State.
Canadian apple growers,
meanwhile, bear the costs associated
with the quality issue. Bagging and
marketing garbage will only hurt
them in the long run as they lose the
confidence of consumers. If apple
growers were able to sell their good
quality product for a reasonable
profit, they would not feel
obliged to market apples that should
have juiced or thrown away.
Canadians should be concerned.
The same type of situation facing
apple growers. affects a broad range
of farmers in Canada. When farmers
are cash-strapped, rural communities
suffer economically, and when rural
communities suffer, the repercussions
are felt even in the cities.
You've heard of trickle down
economics. This is about the money
trickling up.0
The Rural Voice
welcomes your opinions
for our Feedback letters
to the editor column.
Mail to: The Rural Voice,
PO Box 429, Blyth, ON
NOM 1H0