DETROIT (WXYZ) — A trip to the grocery store could cost you more as tariffs threaten to raise the prices of our fruits and our vegetables.
When local harvests are slow, many U.S. markets turn to other countries for fresh produce.
“Obviously, right now, it’s really hard to get local produce when it’s 30 degrees and snow on the ground,” produce buyer for Joe Randazzo’s Market in Detroit, Sam Randazzo said.
Randazzo said they use Mexico for specialty products like avocados and tropical fruit. The problem? Anything coming out of Mexico or Canada is now being taxed 25%.
“Those tariffs impacted us pretty greatly because that price increase is something that we’re not happy to pass on to our customers, so we need to do everything in our power to try and figure out ways around having customers pay more for their products," Randazzo said. “So, realistically, the option is, right now, is you will go without some things if you don’t want people to feel like they’re being price gouged.”
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Randazzo said going without their full line of products is not ideal, so he is also looking to buy from different regions that provide the same quality produce.
"Maybe at times use Colombian avocados or Peruvian avocados instead of the more well-known avocados from Mexico," Randazzo said. "In all reality, when you have to go and you have to find items from different places, yeah, it makes our job on the back end a little bit more difficult. But, at the end of the day, the number one priority here is just to make sure that everybody is getting the best price and the best quality.”
That priority is what keeps Tienesha Edwards coming back to Joe Randazzo’s Market off E. 7 mile Rd. in Detroit.
“I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl,” Edwards said.
She said she is still worried about the impact the new tariffs could have on her grocery bill.
“If it does get like that, I'm going to start doing my own garden. Even though I love coming here to Randazzo’s, getting fresh fruit because it’s easy and i know a garden takes time but I’m willing to take that time so my family can eat healthy," Edwards said.
Shopper Maria Cholyway is not as concerned.
“I'm waiting to see what happens,” she says.
