“Food prices will definitely increase this year.”

“Food prices will definitely increase this year।”-Greig Laughlin, president of the T&T Manufactures’ Association (TTMA).

This morning I paid $120 for 30 lbs of food (fruit and veg) at the market.

So at $4/lb x 52 weeks, my family will eat 1,560 lbs of fruit and veg at a cost of $6240 in 2011. All things being equal. Since food is the most volatile of the consumables used to measure inflation, and 2007/8 saw food price increases of 25-40%, then that $6240 can increase to $7800 or even $8736!

Growing food is no longer an option, it is imperative। My goal is to grow and harvest 312 lbs (20% of 1560) of food from our garden this year. I’ll have to buy a kitchen scale and weigh all harvests. Tomatoes, cassava and pumpkin should provide the bulk, followed by corn, peas and melongene. Assorted fruit, veg and herbs will round it off.

After my first harvest of peas, I noticed the “$10/lb” sign at the market and silently chuckled।

A happy and health new year to all readers।