Anyone notice the stores are out of... (Great Falls, Bozeman: sales, prices)

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by Stephan_K

It has absolutely nothing to do with global shortages. Simply the price of majority of the commodities have been hitting new highs. Importers and the big boy are not stocking up on any of it at these prices as they usually do when in need.

With food commodities, that is wrong. Many Asian countries have been hoarding rice; some of the major rice exporting countries like Vietnam have stopped exporting rice for the time being. There have been riots in the Philippines over the rice shortages. I believe the U.S. has kicked up its rice exports to help offset the Asian shortages.

As for flour (wheat), there was actually a front page story in the Washington Post today (Tuesday 4/29), which has been part of a multi-part series about current worldwide food issues, about how many farmers in the Plains are converting their fields from wheat to more profitable corn and soybeans.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

I've met people who bought rice out of panic and I asked them how often they eat it. They just had a strange look on their face (as if in sudden realization) and said, "Not very often, I guess."

Some people hear about a shortage of something and they go out and stock up, even if they don't use it. Insane.

Here's a very pertinent article related directly to the above:

Why we're stuck with insane prices - MSN Money

[jimj]

Originally Posted by rubydi

do most people still need that much flour? My mom and grandma used to bake bread at home, but I don't have the time for it. Why haven't cake and cookie mixes been ravaged? why not eggs and milk? most things baked with flour need eggs, milk, soda, yeast or baking powder too. Have these items been horded as well? guess when people are in a panic their actions don't make any sense.

If you think about it Eggs, Milk and yeast have a short shelf life so you really can't store them for long. Rice,Flour and Beans can be stored for years so even if you don't use it often it's there when you need it and at todays prices rather than next years.....

[TypicalCalifornian]

Certainly oil prices and the dollar ar factors but one mustn't forget the biofuels mess. al gore said using biofuels (using corn e.g., to make fuel) would not raise the price of your cornflakes one cent...OOOOPPPPSSS. Aside from the fact it takes .9 of a gallon of oil to make a gallon of biofuel, it also caused the world price of bio products to skyrocket putting an additional 1 billion people into a starvation situation.

I want to say one other thing...the corn, oil, wheat, etc. doe NOT belong to America. it belong to the farmer, the owner of the commodity future etc. So when one says 'we're shipping our ______ to China, india, whoever, you're assuming an ownership right you do NOT possess. his is the kind of thinking that leads to market imbalances and other dangerous behaviors.

You in Montana, we in America are sitting on plenty of oil. We simply are blocked by one of the political parties from extracting this fuel. And this argument it takes _____ years is also specious because knowing that a commodity has availability in ____years impacts the price today, in very significant and desirable ways.

hate to soapbox everyone with Econ but if you really want the answers, it's all hiding right there.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by TypicalCalifornian

Certainly oil prices and the dollar ar factors but one mustn't forget the biofuels mess. al gore said using biofuels (using corn e.g., to make fuel) would not raise the price of your cornflakes one cent...OOOOPPPPSSS. Aside from the fact it takes .9 of a gallon of oil to make a gallon of biofuel, it also caused the world price of bio products to skyrocket putting an additional 1 billion people into a starvation situation.

I want to say one other thing...the corn, oil, wheat, etc. doe NOT belong to America. it belong to the farmer, the owner of the commodity future etc. So when one says 'we're shipping our ______ to China, india, whoever, you're assuming an ownership right you do NOT possess. his is the kind of thinking that leads to market imbalances and other dangerous behaviors.

You in Montana, we in America are sitting on plenty of oil. We simply are blocked by one of the political parties from extracting this fuel. And this argument it takes _____ years is also specious because knowing that a commodity has availability in ____years impacts the price today, in very significant and desirable ways.

hate to soapbox everyone with Econ but if you really want the answers, it's all hiding right there.

I agree with you 100%. In addition, I suspect most of KNOW it's "hiding right there". The problem continues that the collective "We" of America don't have the political cheese to coax it out.

[Stephan_K]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

With food commodities, that is wrong. Many Asian countries have been hoarding rice; some of the major rice exporting countries like Vietnam have stopped exporting rice for the time being. There have been riots in the Philippines over the rice shortages. I believe the U.S. has kicked up its rice exports to help offset the Asian shortages.

As for flour (wheat), there was actually a front page story in the Washington Post today (Tuesday 4/29), which has been part of a multi-part series about current worldwide food issues, about how many farmers in the Plains are converting their fields from wheat to more profitable corn and soybeans.

I have not seen any information on shortages outside the norm to impact supply in any significant amount to justify the high rice prices. It is all bullsh*t manipulation and the market knows it. What I did read was a brief statement that the market expects rice to drop sharply when the current "frenzy" ends. That explains to me why the big guys are not buying their ship loads of rice just yet even though their shelves are almost bare and rice is available ! I see no reason to fuel the rice frenzy by buying all you can find at the store... If you need starch that bad, eat potatoes instead till things cool down in the rice market.

[truckingbronco]

Originally Posted by Stephan_K

I have not seen any information on shortages outside the norm to impact supply in any significant amount to justify the high rice prices. It is all bullsh*t manipulation and the market knows it. What I did read was a brief statement that the market expects rice to drop sharply when the current "frenzy" ends. That explains to me why the big guys are not buying their ship loads of rice just yet even though their shelves are almost bare and rice is available ! I see no reason to fuel the rice frenzy by buying all you can find at the store... If you need starch that bad, eat potatoes instead till things cool down in the rice market.

Right on. I think I've had the same Costco package of rice in my pantry for the past decade.

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by rubydi

do most people still need that much flour? My mom and grandma used to bake bread at home, but I don't have the time for it. Why haven't cake and cookie mixes been ravaged? why not eggs and milk? most things baked with flour need eggs, milk, soda, yeast or baking powder too. Have these items been horded as well? guess when people are in a panic their actions don't make any sense.

What some folks are hoarding are the non-perishables, or that which at least lasts longer. They may not be making bread now, but they would be in the event of an emergency. I like making my own bread. It's time consuming, but worth it.

Personally, in a situation like that, I'm not concerned about not having food. Throughout Biblical history, God has proven to take care of His children and feed them. And He's the same yesterday, today and forever. I would be more concerned about the rioting, looting, robberies and violent crimes. This is one reason I want to be debt free and out of the big city before too long. Violence can just as easily come to the country, but I can't see it being like it would be in the cities. Either way, God's in control and my trust is in Him.

[Montana Baby]

Groceries in MT keep going up --- bet most of us are paying close to $4 for a gallon of milk if we aren't shopping at Costco. Local media says its the fuel cost to get it to the market (btw, my neighbor is a diary farmer and owns lake frontage on Flathead Lake). So, in PHOENIX ARIZONA a gallon of milk at Frys Grocery Stores (biggest chain in Phx metro area) is a whopping $1.77---- ONE DOLLAR AND SEVENTY SEVEN CENTS for one gallon of milk.

Now you just have to wonder if its all fuel cost in Montana.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Montana Baby

Groceries in MT keep going up --- bet most of us are paying close to $4 for a gallon of milk if we aren't shopping at Costco. Local media says its the fuel cost to get it to the market (btw, my neighbor is a diary farmer and owns lake frontage on Flathead Lake). So, in PHOENIX ARIZONA a gallon of milk at Frys Grocery Stores (biggest chain in Phx metro area) is a whopping $1.77---- ONE DOLLAR AND SEVENTY SEVEN CENTS for one gallon of milk.

Now you just have to wonder if its all fuel cost in Montana.

And on top of that they are closing our local dairy and moving all production to Wyoming or Utah, WTH??? They say it costs too much to ship the milk IN to the dairy.
I guess the dairy business must be like the lumber business, Plum Creek cuts and mills lumber here but do they sell it here? NO they don't! They load it on a train and send it out of state or out of the country. The lumber we have at the stores RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD from the mill is brought in on a train from out of state... How insane is that?????