YELLOWKNIFE - A January freeze up in California's fruit growing regions could bring a chill to some Yellowknife consumers.

The unusually cold weather in California will affect the price and availability of some produce items, said Rob Byers, general manager for Extra Foods on Old Airport Road.

Jamie Nielsen shops for produce at the Direct Charge Co-op on Old Airport Road. - David Ryan/NNSL photo

"The demand for produce will remain the same, but the availability for some produce will be lower," he said.

Produce such as strawberries, peppers, avocados, cauliflower, melons and some types of lettuce could be in short supply this month, resulting in higher prices. Citrus fruit like oranges, limes and lemons could also see price increases.

The decrease in the volume of available produce shouldn't change the quality of fruit on the shelves at Extra Foods, Byers said.

"We won't reduce the quality of our produce," he said.

Northern Foodservices on Old Airport Road has also noticed an increase in the price of some produce, said co-owner, Dusko Trivic.

"It's definitely had an effect on the price of citrus fruit," he said.

The price of oranges has almost doubled in the last few weeks at Northern Foodservices, which supplies food to mining camps, some grocery stores and most restaurants in Yellowknife.

One pallet, with 60 cases of oranges, normally costs an average of $1,200, but the price has ballooned to $2,500 over the last month, Trivic said.

The food distributor, which purchases its products from a supplier in Edmonton, will have to pay more for some of the produce, which will translate into higher prices for consumers, said Trivic.

For Laurie Nielsen, an increase in price means that she will have to pay more for groceries for her family.

"My kids have to eat properly," she said, while grocery shopping with her daughter at the Direct Charge Co-op.

A resident of the city for five years, Nielsen is used to fluctuating prices of groceries especially around spring break-up and fall freeze-up, she said.

Barb Hood is also used to the cost increases, and the higher price of produce wasn't going to stop her from purchasing products that she enjoys, such as oranges, she said.

With more than 20 years of living in a remote area of Canada, the change of price doesn't bother her that much.

"We're used to living in the North," she added.