Will the dockworkers’ strike cause higher food prices? Experts weigh in

Costs be damned. Just make sure peanut butter, bananas and bread are on the shelf.

Yes and yes. If I am wrong tell me please.

Yes, of course it will

The USA produces exportable volumes of grains, beef and pork - but most other labor-intensive and seasonal Ag. products - fruits and vegetables, seafood, sugar, honey - are imported in large amounts.

Because these are "commodities" with thin margins and specialized storage needs - no one is holding massive stocks of these items "just in case."

They lie. If they say food prices won’t be higher- they will.

Not taking the chance. Went for groceries a week or two early just in case.

I don’t know about prices, but SHORTAGES are my main concern. I don’t know if it’s coincidental, but I was at Aldi yesterday, and they were completely out of several items. No grapes, no strawberries, no canned cat food, no large packs paper towels. Low stock in eggs, pineapples, smaller packs of paper towels and toilet paper.

The USDA says the law of supply and demand does not apply to food, unless at least until after Harris is elected.

I don’t know, but there were a ton of people panic-buying at our local Costco yesterday. Of course, the toilet paper was already gone.

Well avocados from Mexico I think are shipped by truck, if the Teamsters went on strike, then there would be major food disruptions, IMO.

Again with the “experts”. Listen to JD Vance and just use common sense.

When the dockworkers are on strike, it also means the truckers lose work too. Stores run low on inventory. Supply and demand. It’s a grand slam of economic problems.

And Joe Biden won’t intercede. He probably couldn’t anyway, not personally anyways… but Jill doesn’t want to help Kamala at all.

“two-thirds of bananas arrive at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports”

The “migrants” and “newcomers” can grab a bushel of bananas and carry them up here.

No bananas no entry.

Domestic production will have to be consumed domestically so we can expect some of those items, especially perishables, will actually drop in price as there may be a surplus of them. At least for a short while. Crops have to be harvested but meat and poultry, well, you can keep the livestock alive longer if need be.

So strange to be in panic mode. Over 90% of paper products used in the US are produced in the US. If the paper mills start shutting down, that’s a different story.

Shortages leads to higher prices. But I don’t think fruit, veggies and eggs come by container ship. Takes too long and they rot. Except maybe potatoes and onions. But, I have been wrong before.

Grains and other dried and frozen foods can come via container. Cheap clothing and stuff from Asian can come to the west coast but will cost more to ship it south and east. I’m more concerned about our country’s exports.

Not wrong prices don’t go down if operating costs increase.

You weren’t supposed to mention that one.

Wasn't it just a couple of years ago there was a shortage of stuffs because they were all sitting in barges? We survived. Even when it took eight months to receive an order. Do we really need out of season produce? Our grandparents didn't.

Now about that cat food.... I'm concerned. No matter how hard I try, my cat is stuck on Fancy Feast.

Oh and prices won't go up much... the can sizes will become smaller.

I made a maintenance grocery trip yesterday that I did not need to do. The stuff I bought is not imported and the strike would have no direct effect on most of it, but I thinkthe strike will raise prices and indirectly cause shortages. We’ll see if I’m right.