From: brewnoser2@gmail.com   
      
   Reuters - Fri Feb 26, 2016   
      
      
   Canadian farmers return to vegetable patch as currency slumps   
      
      
   WINNIPEG/CALGARY (Reuters) - Canadian farmers are cashing in on the highest   
   vegetable prices in years, helped by the country's weak currency and soaring   
   costs of U.S. imports that have made them unexpected winners in a bearish   
   commodity world.   
      
   Soft wheat and canola prices may diminish Canadian farm incomes by 9 percent   
   this year.  But it is the best of times for carrot and beet growers, part of a   
   niche industry best-known for stocking farmers' markets.   
      
   "Per acre, there's nothing quite like it right now," said Sam Hofer, who grows   
   carrots at Dinsmore, Saskatchewan.  "You can make good pocket money off 50   
   acres (20 hectares) of land."   
      
   At Emile Marquette's farm near Perigord, Saskatchewan, his 20 acres of beets   
   may bring 10 times more net profit per acre than canola.  That is due to   
   beets' higher output per acre as well as sky-rocketing prices.   
      
   The year ahead looks to have "huge potential," Marquette said.   
      
   Fresh vegetable and fruit prices jumped 18 and 13 percent respectively in   
   January year over year, according to Statistics Canada.   
      
   The cost of imported U.S. produce has spiked as the Canadian dollar CAD=, now   
   trading around 74 U.S. cents, fell 16 percent last year.  Excessive rain in   
   some U.S. regions has added costs.   
      
   Marquette is part of a grower group that sells vegetables to Sas   
   atchewan-based Federated Co-operatives Limited.  The growers and co-op set   
   price increases for 2016 of five to 10 percent on local produce that already   
   fetches a premium.   
      
   It is a modest top-up, given store prices, but Marquette said farmers want to   
   nurture demand.   
      
   Marquette is expanding beet plantings by one-third, or five acres, claiming   
   more of his canola field.   
      
   Vegetable plantings in Saskatchewan may grow by up to 10 percent this year,   
   said Bob Purton, president of Saskatchewan Vegetable Growers' Association.   
      
   Purton sells his tomatoes and cucumbers to farmers' markets and expects the   
   best prices of his 15 years growing vegetables.   
      
   In Alberta, carrots' value topped C$5.4 million last year, the highest since   
   1997.   
      
   In Ontario, demand should increase for Canadian apples, peaches and berries   
   from retailers including Loblaw Companies Ltd L.TO, Sobeys Inc [SOBEF.UL], Wal   
   Mart Stores Inc WMT.N and Metro Inc MRU.TO, said John Kelly, executive   
   vice-president of Ontario    
   Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.   
      
   The low Canadian dollar may also spur fruit exports to the United States, he   
   said.   
      
   Federated Co-op has steadily bought more from Saskatchewan farmers in recent   
   years. But the dollar's slump has added to the urgency, said Mike Furi,   
   manager of procurement and pricing at Federated's subsidiary, The Grocery   
   People.   
      
   Canada's second-largest grocery chain Sobeys said it is also buying more from   
   Canadian farmers.  Sobeys is hiring four "local developers" in Alberta and   
   British Columbia, whose mission is to find local farmers and vendors.   
      
   High grocery prices have ebbed, but another shock may be in store, Furi said.   
      
   Excessive rains and fluctuating temperatures in California and Florida may   
   tighten supplies of celery, cauliflower and cabbage in March and April,   
   spurring more demand for Canadian produce, Furi said.   
      
   "As much as they can grow, we can take."   
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