Our sliding currency could make it harder for some Canadians to eat their Florida oranges or California heads of lettuce this year.
The dropping dollar, hovering just above the 70-cent U.S. mark, is expected to continue to hand shoppers bigger grocery bills, especially when it comes to buying fresh fruit and vegetables.
Nearly all fruit and vegetables consumed in Canada are imported, making them more susceptible to the loonie's fluctuations.
Last year, fruits and veggies jumped in price between 9.1% and 10.1%, according to an annual report by the Food Institute at the University of Guelph. The study predicts these foods will continue to increase above inflation this year, by up to 4.5% for some items.
These prices have been on the rise for years.
Statistics Canada reports that in November 2011, one kilogram of apples cost an average of $3.35 in this country. Four years later, the same amount cost $4.12.
One kilogram of celery, meanwhile, increased from $2.23 to $3.08 over the same timeframe.
While the increased costs have dealt a blow to everyone's wallet, they have a more pronounced effect on Canadians living on a tight budget or in remote regions, where fresh fruit and vegetables is more expensive than in more urban areas.
Experts say people living in northern and remote communities are most likely to be hurt by these rising costs.
In Nunavut, for example, residents typically pay about two times more than the Canadian average for staples. There, a kilogram of carrots cost $6.17 in March 2015, while the Canadian average was about $4 less.
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