APAS report shows farmers are getting less while consumers are paying more

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has released its 2024 Farmers and Food Prices Report. 

The APAS report shows a concerning trend: farmers are receiving lower prices for their commodities, while consumers are paying more at the grocery store.

President Ian Boxall says the disparity between the farmer's portion and retail prices highlights a broken system that fails both producers and consumers.

“This report underscores the critical need for a more transparent and equitable food supply chain that fairly compensates producers while also ensuring affordability for Canadians.”

The APAS report, supported by research from Statistics Canada, respected Canadian market analyst Kevin Grier and the United States Department of Agriculture, indicates that prices for raw commodities such as canola, wheat, lentils, barley, and hogs dropped by 5–16 per cent from 2022 to 2023, while food prices have increased.

Boxall says they are just trying to give consumers more information.

"One example would be margarine. Our canola, that is grown widely in Saskatchewan, that commodity price fell 16 percent, yet margarine increased 21 per cent." 

He notes the report should serve as a wake-up call as to what's been happening and the need for a more competitive market with fair practices and transparency.

“We hope this serves as a catalyst for real change toward a system that values the hard work of farmers and restores consumer confidence."

The  2024 Farmers and Food Prices Report is available here.

To listen to Glenda-Lee's conversation with APAS President Ian Boxall click on the link below.