Tag Archives: weather

Business/Economics, U.S.

Coca Cola raises prices, blames inflation, bad weather, Pepsi and others to follow suit

Coca Cola will raise prices at least 3 to 5% in July.  They raised prices 2% earlier this year.

They blame the rising costs of resources, due to speculators playing the commodities markets. They also blame the cost of transportation due to high fuel prices.

In China, Coca Cola bottlers will use smaller bottles.  Hangzhou bottler already changed its 600 milliliter packages to 500 milliliters in May, but charges the same price.

Industry analysts say the inflation in commodity prices has to be passed on to consumers sooner or later.  A month before Coca Cola’s price rise announcement, Smuckers raised prices on its coffee products.  Eventually consumers will see more price rises across the food market.

A big factor for commodity price increases is the bad weather most of the United States is experiencing.  Cooler, wetter than normal weather in the north west.  Massive flooding in the plain states, and mid west.  Hotter weather in the east.  All these weather extremes are resulting in less crop production.  Less crops on the markets will drive the price up.

 

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Idaho has record snowpack levels, and it’s summer! Guarantees more flooding

According to surveyors from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, June 1 had Idaho breaking record snowpack levels.   Normally most of Idaho’s mountain snowpack melts off by the end of May.  This year’s cold wet spring has delayed that, and actually added to some the mountain snowpacks.

In eastern Idaho, Two Ocean Plateau’s snowpack is at 113% of peak average, as of June 28.  What global warming?

The concern now is that temperatures are finally warming up to what is normal for the time of the year, which means all that snow is gonna melt and just continue the flooding that’s already taking place.

The same is true of snowpacks in the Rockies, and other western U.S. mountain ranges.  This is why officials have warned the flooding from the Missouri River could last through the month of August.

Business/Economics, Idaho

What Global Warming? Idaho Potato farmers running out of time, cool weather adding to Global Food Crisis

It’s June 11, and potato farmers in Ashton, and Driggs, Idaho, have been hoping for warmer, dryer weather.  They can’t plant potatoes in wet, cold ground: “This season has been especially hard because every time we are about to get into the fields for a couple days it rains us out. It takes sometimes five to 10 days to dry up in good enough shape in preparation for planting.”-Dennis Fransen, potato seed farmer

Potato seed farmers are at the bottom of the potato farming chain.  Commercial potato farmers rely on the seed farmers for their new crop.  Bigger potatoes are sent to the commercial farmers to grow even bigger.  The small potatoes are kept for ‘seed’ for the next planting.  This year, because of the wet, cool weather it looks like most of the seed crop will be the small type, that commercial farmers don’t want.

 

Idaho, International

What Global Warming? Cooler weather delays East Idaho road construction, What Economic Recovery? Lack of funds will reduce Idaho road construction

“Every time we tried to schedule something, we had a storm come through. With the temperature and the moisture, you just can’t do it.”-James Orner, Idaho Transportation Department

Temperatures are finally warming up in eastern Idaho, and ITD officials hope to get ongoing road construction finished, and start new ones.

But just as the weather is warming up for ITD, funding is running out: “In the next few years, we’re going to see a rapid decline in the amount of construction that’s going to be available because there’s less funding available. With gas prices going up, people are driving less, and it’s affecting our revenues.”-Corey Krantz, Idaho Transportation Department

Funding for ITD comes, in part, from state gas taxes.