Florida Cold Snap Heats Up Prices

At the Burris Farm Market in Loxley, you'll find people eagerly shopping for produce despite a steady rise in prices.

“I love fruits and vegetables and I want to teach my kids to eat healthy so I'm still going to get them,” says Carmen. She had her two children with her as she shopped. Prices on things like tomatoes have gone up about 40% in the last two weeks. You can blame the cold weather that hit Florida at the start of 2010.

“80% to 90% of the crop was damaged, lost or destroyed,” says Dennis Young with the Burris Farm Market. The crops that were left are in high demand and that's caused prices to go up.

“Snap beans were this time last year was $18 to $20 a bushel now $55 to $60 a bushel,” says Young. Even though prices have risen steadily in the last few weeks, some expect them to level off soon.

“We're trying to absorb some of the increase but we have to pass some of it along because the increases have been too severe to absorb all that,” says Young. You won’t just see these changes at the produce stand. You may have to speak up the next time you want a tomato on your burger. Some Wendy's locations in mobile are making sandwiches without a tomato slice unless you ask for it. A notice on one Wendy's door says this is only a temporary measure.