Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 What is up with the price of fruit over here?? Its extortionate, I'm trying to get on a health kick and start eating better, things like more fresh veg and fruit, but fruit is so expensive it kinda puts me off!! 2 apples from my local Daiei costs about 450 yen!! 1 pound 25p for an apple!! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Supply and Demand.... We are in the Fruit and Veg game here in Aus and the price is ALWAYS a product of Supply and Demand. Occassionally price can be artificially inflated by silly groups like the Potato Board who control the supply and set the price, but usually it is simple market forces. If there has been poor growing weather and there is less or damaged crops - prices go up. If you have millions of people wanting to buy apples and not that many apple growers - they can charge more for thier rarer produce. Imported produce can boost supply but its cost is generally higher than locally grown produce as it required more handling and transport costs. Still - a piece of fruit is still cheaper per kilo than processed junky snack food...(I think!) Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 no. not supply and demand. Japanese produce is Japanese produce and you pay for what you get. It's the result of protectionism and national pride. Good stuff. Those who can afford it do, those who can't gripe, but it won't ever change. Some foreign rice anyone? Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 There's a lot of handwork involved in fruit growing, and that makes it expensive. The fruit here is flawless. I don't think the market is protected, just that foreign products don't compete. If the rice isn't Japonica, it won't sell. I get basmati rice at my local Yamaya store, thursday. I prefer long-grain to Japonica, but that puts me in a minority hahaha. There is a lot of customer resistance to food from China. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Flawless it may be, but sometimes I just want a delish apple that doesnt cost a ton. (Little marks can be cut out). Very pretty in the shops though. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Fair enough. And sometimes I want an apple that doesn't weigh a kilo. For small people, the fruit comes "family sized". We are spoiled here. Rice is grown in the valley, melons on the hills, and stonefruit and apples just to the south. In season, there is a constant stream of visitors bearing gifts. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 If fruit is grown here surely it should be cheaper!! In the UK, where the weather is shite, we get all kinds of fruit from all over the world at prices that don't break the bank. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Shite is the word. The imported fruit (Chinese food) is full of toxins. Lets see it for the Scot's fruit. Growing apples, are you? Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 If you want something cheap and tasty for a "health kick", why not eat something in season? Apples are not in season. This means not cheap, not tasty, and not particularly healthy. If any country has standardized and tasteless fruit that looks pretty in the supermarket, it is the UK. Food retailing is completely dominated (about 90%) by supermarkets and that's what they dictate to growers. You have to go to mainland Europe for the good old knobbly tasty stuff. Okay there are farmers' markets etc., in some towns, but the vast majority of people just buy the low-quality stuff at Tesco. Japan is way better than the UK for fruit. It may be flawless in appearance, especially in department stores, but it is certainly not tasteless. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 You've missed the ball, MrW. Fruit are here in season and on time. I have to step past it to get out from the front door. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: soubriquet Shite is the word. The imported fruit (Chinese food) is full of toxins. Lets see it for the Scot's fruit. Growing apples, are you? eh?? Mr W, is it healthier than a mars bar? Then I'd rather have an out of season apple thanks...oh and at 33p from my local Tesco Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I find Japanese fruit looks good on the outside, but arent very juicy like the fruit Ive been eating back home. I still eat tons of it, but its not as good IMO. I dont mind paying more for fruits/veggies since they keep me healthy and are good for me. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: Creek Boy I dont mind paying more for fruits/veggies since they keep me healthy and are good for me. We like people like you CB!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 just seems like commonsense to me - cut back the shite food in your diet and you save money, then use it to buy fruits and veggies. I agree with TB, it suxs theyre so expensive though. Id imagine theyre only going to get more expensive... Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 CB you are dang near the citrus capitol of the world at the moment. I say grow your own. I have wild berries in the front yard and melons out the back. There is plenty of land for free use in japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 fruit in Kansai isnt as good as what Ive been eating back home though mate. I was going to post a thread on that until I saw TBs. Got more Eggplant in Kansai than I know what to do with thats for sure. I heart Georgia Peaches Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: Fattwins CB you are dang near the citrus capitol of the world at the moment. I say grow your own. I have wild berries in the front yard and melons out the back. There is plenty of land for free use in japan. yes, plenty of land for free use Link to post Share on other sites
@tokyo 14 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I have 2sq km here in central Tokyo. Link to post Share on other sites
HoTRoD 2 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I don't mind the odd blemish on my fruit. Actually, what happens to poor blemished fruit here? Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 When I lived in kyoto I grew my own red peppers, raspberries, cucumber, tomatoes and strawberries. It isnt hard to find a 200 yen pot to grow things. The raspberries took 2 years but we had a bowl every week for 6 weeks. cb in Atlanta you are close to or in the north American fruit producing area. I dont want to eat most mass produced Chinese fruit. More chemicals are in that than I could even count. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 I actually grew tomatoes last year, I have a tiny sliver of soil that my gfriend grows flowers in. Where I live in Scotland is one of the highest soft fruit producing areas in Europe, so our strawberries, raspberries etc were always top notch. I eat a hell of a lot more fresh veg here, as for 1 thing my Gfriends mum and granny both have allotments where they grow various veg, I haven't bought potatoes or onions for about a year!! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 yeah FT, ATL has good produce, cheap and delish Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Just think how much money you are saving on vegies and suck up the fruit price. Its watermelon season and Im loving it. Cb id ask for some oranges but they will get eaten by the customs agents. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Originally Posted By: Fattwins Just think how much money you are saving on vegies and suck up the fruit price. Its watermelon season and Im loving it. Cb id ask for some oranges but they will get eaten by the customs agents. My family got a big bag of Oranges through at the end of July! I didn't ask for them but they sure tasted nice! Link to post Share on other sites
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