Cost of rice?

**alpha** · April 25th, 2008, 09:59 AM

I'm suddenly hearing a lot of news stories about the big stores, like Costco, restricting the amount of rice people can buy. And the prices are going up. This makes a problem for people who run small food carts -- we have a lot of those where they serve bentos which all have rice. Are you seeing this where you are?

**Scribes** · April 25th, 2008, 10:42 AM

I am indeed. CostCo out where I live is regulating the sale of rice. I heard things were really terrible in Vietnam this season. :-( Terrific, just what our economy needed. I've already heard stories of local Chinese and Asian fast-food joints and restaurants hoarding rice like crazy. A few years ago I bought a 12-pound bag of rice for $8.99. I'm almost afraid to know what it is now.

**sophie** · April 25th, 2008, 12:38 PM

It's still cheap at the farmers market where I live. Depending on how much rice you actually eat, this could/could not be a problem. Costco is doing this because of restaurants not households.

**scribbler** · April 25th, 2008, 03:39 PM

I was talking to a family member last night who works at WalMart and said the Sam's Club side of the business is restricting customers to four bags of rice each. Sometimes I think when businesses do that it creates more of a shortage faster because of panic buying than would have occurred normally. I'm lucky if I use a medium sized bag of rice in a year and yet was thinking " hmmm, maybe I should go buy some just in case...".

**alpha** · April 25th, 2008, 07:40 PM

I guess what they're trying to do is keep the restaurants from buying up huge supplies, as you say, but it seems to me when things like this start they eventually wind up costing us individuals more. I'm sure the restaurants will have to raise their prices if they have trouble getting rice.

**Pinkee** · April 25th, 2008, 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by 101378

I'm suddenly hearing a lot of news stories about the big stores, like Costco, restricting the amount of rice people can buy. And the prices are going up. This makes a problem for people who run small food carts -- we have a lot of those where they serve bentos which all have rice. Are you seeing this where you are?

Yes I am. I live in the Philippines and the rice shortage has been a problem. The prices have significantly increased.

Our government started distributing cheap rice and people line up to take advantage of it. The thing is, it's our staple food. We simply can't have a meal without rice. I guess I'm just a tad luckier than most that I don't need to line up just yet. We still have not come to a point where the supermarkets have restricted the amount of rice you can buy each time.

**Meya** · April 26th, 2008, 12:01 AM

I like steamed white rice a whole lot, but my kids do not like it. I have heard of this a few days ago, but it has not affected my shopping list. I guess that small businesses will find a way around it, by going around to different distributers to purchase it.

**Scribes** · April 26th, 2008, 06:53 AM

Sophie has the right idea. If you want to shop for quality, cheaper foods right now, start visiting veggie and fruit stands in your area. If you're lucky like me, maybe you have a huge farmer's market in your major city. Cleveland has West Side Market, a very large area of fruits, veggies, meats, and foods of every culture and country. A great place to shop if you can make the trip. And not one middleman in the lot. :D

**alpha** · April 28th, 2008, 07:09 PM

I agree that farmers market and local groups are a good way to go if you have them near you. We have excellent farmers markets but they don't include those kind of basic things like rice.

**Meya** · April 28th, 2008, 08:09 PM

We have excellent farmers markets but they don't include those kind of basic things like rice

Neither does ours. But I have seen them given out at local churches and other places that offer free food handouts for the community.

**Scribes** · April 29th, 2008, 09:38 AM

Originally Posted by 100008

We have excellent farmers markets but they don't include those kind of basic things like rice

Neither does ours. But I have seen them given out at local churches and other places that offer free food handouts for the community.

Just visit a backroads area out in the country, along a busy road, and you'll come across a fruit/veggie stand eventually. Here in Cleveland, if you go about 20 miles southwest where the hicks all hang out, there's a stretch of open road called Route 113. On that road, you can pretty much buy about $500 worth of fruits/veggies for $50 bucks in the course of 5 miles. Do the math. Or not... lol

**Meya** · April 29th, 2008, 09:44 AM

You know what? Now that you mentioned backroads, I think they have those on the way to Modesto which is 90 miles east of San Francisco, also some on the way to Sacramento which is the same distance but north of San Franicsco. Hummm, that is somehting to think about but, with gas prices being so high, I look crazy putting $60 bucks in my car to get some discounted fruits and vegetables.

**Scribes** · April 29th, 2008, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by 100008

You know what? Now that you mentioned backroads, I think they have those on the way to Modesto which is 90 miles east of San Francisco, also some on the way to Sacramento which is the same distance but north of San Franicsco. Hummm, that is somehting to think about but, with gas prices being so high, I look crazy putting $60 bucks in my car to get some discounted fruits and vegetables.

Yeah, it's funny you mention that, because I was thinking to myself "Wait a minute, I forgot to factor in the cost of gas. Okay, $100." LOL. That does it... I might not get a new car -- I might get a moped instead. Who cares if I can't go on the highway anyway? :D

**Meya** · April 29th, 2008, 09:05 PM

That's it, I am tired of laughing, I am too big for hiccups! Good night scribes!

**Scribes** · April 30th, 2008, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by 100008

That's it, I am tired of laughing, I am too big for hiccups! Good night scribes!

I'm not so sure we should be laughing at this scenario.

this is heavy stuff here. We are in a whole world of trouble. If our economy is REALLY going to go downhill as we fear this summer, that's going to put a major hurt on the global economy -- especially in Asia, and with the Summer Olympics around the corner, that is the LAST thing China needs. I'm telling you, I'm plenty worried. When my fiancee arrives this summer, I may suggest we just hide out in a lovely mountain area with a sunlit spring for swimming in. It's going to get rough.