In recent years, greenhouse farming has experienced rapid growth in Quebec.
It must be said that the sector is stimulated by massive public investments in the name of food sovereignty. Are we already feeling the effects in the supermarket? Is it realistic to hope to eat local fruits and vegetables without breaking the bank, even in Quebec winter?
The short answer is: yes, but not everything. Quebec is particularly specialized in growing certain foods. The majority of our greenhouse production consists of tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. For these three foods in particular, we have observed an improvement in deal frequency over the last two years. This can be explained by the increase in supply.
This trend is even more pronounced in winter, where, even if a few years ago we were able to find tomatoes from Quebec as early as mid-January, it was practically impossible to find them at the same price as the imports from Mexico.
This bodes well for the coming winter. If this trend continues, it would not be surprising if the gap between greenhouse products and imports, particularly for tomatoes and lettuce, improved somewhat.
It’s much easier to choose a local product when our prices are competitive, isn’t it? And everyone wins, especially in times of high inflation.
Despite this performance, Quebec remains a marginal producer of a variety of other greenhouse fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, which represent only 0.6% of our production. As long as Quebec stops producing and meets demand, we can expect to pay top prices for delicious strawberries in the winter. We sometimes see them in circulars, but rarely at a price worth the detour.
Ultimately, growing fruits and vegetables in greenhouses in Quebec could be just the solution we need. It guarantees a constant supply of fresh produce while helping to maintain affordable prices for consumers. Thanks to this practice, Quebecers can enjoy the freshness of summer even in the dead of winter while supporting thriving local agriculture.
What to look for in the supermarket
- Speaking of greenhouse growing, there are great deals on local cucumbers at almost every major store this week. Try it!
- We are still in a transition phase and offers for fruit are rather rare. To compensate, we have particularly good cheese offers this week. If you pay attention to expiration dates (and have enough room in the fridge), you might be able to make some good purchases before the holidays.
- There are some great deals on oysters this week and we can expect to see even more in the coming weeks.
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