Economy Archives - Page 8 of 15 - Manitoba Co-operator

Almost 60 per cent of all Canadian consumers consider price as one of the top three decision criteria when grocery shopping.

Opinion: ‘Shrinkflation’ is a thing

Ingredient prices are rising but Canadians stubbornly won’t pay more at the till

By Sylvain Charlebois June 5, 2018

Most consumers are always concerned about the cost of food. We constantly look for bargains and the food industry knows it. According to a recent survey, almost 60 per cent of all Canadian consumers consider price as one of the top three decision criteria when grocery shopping. Price is key, no matter what. Pricing in

Young man choosing oranges in the supermarket

Opinion, Other

Opinion: Food prices stuck in place

The economy is doing well, so why can’t Canadian grocers hike prices?

By Sylvain Charlebois May 30, 2018

Retail food prices are not moving much these days. They are barely higher than last year, with a modest increase of 0.5 per cent. In fact, according to Statistics Canada, prices dropped overall by 0.7 per cent over the winter months. South of the border, U.S. grocers are dealing with the same issue. Since our

Currency markets, Markets, Other

Don’t let currencies drive you ‘loonie’

There are a few practical ways to look at managing currency fluctuations

By David Derwin May 2, 2018

A question I often get asked at hedging workshops and marketing presentations is about currency risk management. In particular, how to best manage it from a practical point of view. Farmers ultimately get paid in Canadian dollars, even though their commodity is priced either directly or indirectly in U.S. dollars. Whether it’s a flat price

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and the Democrat’s ranking member on the Senate agriculture committee told reporters April 10 the U.S. must be “strategic” when pushing China towards fair trade so as to avoid “unintended consequences.”

News

American farmers want markets, not subsidies, legislators say

Trump promises to protect wary farmers if there’s a trade war between the U.S. and China

By Allan Dawson April 19, 2018

American farmers are on the front lines of U.S. trade spats. Uneasy about losing NAFTA, an agreement they say is mostly working for them, they’re now even more jittery about becoming collateral damage in a China-U.S. trade war, despite President Donald Trump’s promise of protection. Farmers prefer markets to largesse, two senior federal farm state

Editorial, Opinion, Other

Editorial: Future risks

By Gord Gilmour March 29, 2018

Manitoba’s agriculture community is welcoming news it will be getting a few more exemptions from the incoming provincial carbon tax. The Pallister government this week announced fuels used to heat and cool livestock buildings and greenhouses and to dry grain would get a pass on the tax. The sector successfully argued from the outset it

Comment/Feedback, Opinion, Other

What StatsCan and Loblaw numbers are really telling us

While food prices are rising, a newly competitive food retailing landscape makes increasing margins difficult

By Sylvain Charlebois March 12, 2018

Recent StatsCan numbers indicate that grocers are in trouble. Food inflation is now above two per cent for the first time since April 2016. This is typically good news for grocers as it gives more room for them to increase margins. But given major headwinds affecting the industry, grocers will need to get even more

News

Agriculture an also-ran in federal budget

There were few tangible investments made to meet the government’s own targets to grow food exports

By Alex Binkley March 8, 2018

After enjoying headline status last year, the agri-food sector found itself once again on the back burner in the 2018 federal budget. There was none of the bold talk of 2017, when the agri-food export target of $75 billion by 2025 was set. Read more: New rules on passive investment arrive in budget Ron Bonnett, president

Comment/Feedback, Opinion

Opinion: Food policies should support small-scale producers

Ramping up food production via large-scale farming operations alone is unlikely to eradicate world hunger

By Jennifer Clapp March 6, 2018

Ten years ago, a spike in food prices ignited a global food crisis that compromised the ability of the world’s poorest people to access an adequate diet. Governments around the world responded by supporting the expansion of large-scale agricultural production, based on the idea that producing more food in this way translates into lower prices

Opinion, Other

Opinion: America alone

By Alan Guebert February 23, 2018

Softly falling snow makes it evident that winter’s early end was just a rumour. The season is back and will remain awhile, predicts the National Weather Service. Frozen, also, are the immigration standoff, NAFTA talks, infrastructure plans, the dicamba debate… Congress is moving as slow as molasses, too, as seen in the recent budget shutdown.

Crops, Opinion

China’s sorghum snub could turn U.S. farmers toward corn and soy

By Karen Braun February 20, 2018

China may have just handed farmers in the U.S. Plains a good reason to maintain or increase the already elevated corn and soybean acreage this spring. On Feb. 4, China launched an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imports of sorghum from the United States in a move that many analysts see as politically motivated. Regardless

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures gain, hogs fall back

U.S. grains: Chicago grains and oilseeds rise on recent dollar weakness, biofuel optimism

Western Canadian resentment not exceptional — or highest in country — pollster says

Tag Archives Economy