If there’s one thing that can be said about produce, it’s that it has a tendency to be pricey. For something that usually goes bad really fast, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of money.
For some, eggplant is an example of something that seems to cost just a little too much. We’ll be discussing why eggplant is so expensive, as well as comparing it to the average costs of other similar foods.
Quick Answer: Why is Eggplant so Expensive?
Whether or not eggplant is expensive is a matter of opinion. The average cost of eggplant ranges from one to four dollars a pound. Seasons and shortages are things which can make any type of produce costlier at any given time.
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The Average Cost of Eggplant Compared with Other Veggies
As you know now, the average cost of eggplant is $1-4 per pound. To give you an idea of exactly how much that is, the average eggplant weighs around one pound, so that’s the price for one eggplant.
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How does this hold up when compared with similar veggies?
Zucchini ranges from $1 to $3 for a pound. That’s pretty close to the cost of eggplant.
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Spaghetti squash will run you around $1 for one pound. That makes it a fairly cheap food to buy if you’re on a budget.
A pound of potatoes, on the other hand, will cost you $1-2.
Eggplant can occasionally be expensive when compared with some veggies. However, its price is pretty closely tied with zucchini, which is similar.
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What Can Contribute to the Cost?
There are a few reasons why produce – especially some specific kinds of produce – cost more than others.
A shortage will drive up the price of the food in question. There isn’t currently an eggplant shortage, but earlier in 2020, there was a drought that led to higher prices for a period of time.
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The changing of the seasons also has an impact on prices. During the season when a plant would naturally grow, the price will be lower because it wasn’t difficult to cultivate it. As the season ends and it becomes harder to maintain the crop, the price will rise.
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Shelf life contributes to the cost of produce, too. You can’t often buy it in bulk because it doesn’t last very long on a shelf. With something that goes bad quickly, it’s simply not economical to buy it and throw it out all the time.
That isn’t just a problem for you at home, though. Grocery stores also have to deal with stocks of produce going bad on their shelves, and consequently throwing it away. It’s expensive to maintain a stock of something that needs to be rotated so often, and that cost gets passed on to your wallet.
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Wrap Up
Eggplant, like other kinds of produce, can indeed be costly. Fruits and veggies can be expensive due to seasons, shortages, and the fact that they just go bad rapidly.
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If you’d like to circumvent these prices, we recommend trying to grow some of your own. Bonus: you’ll also get to enjoy the freshest possible food when you grow it yourself.
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Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
