Food price increases worry food bank

Officials with the Upper Room Food Bank in Charlottetown are concerned about the predicted increase in food prices.

Drought conditions in some parts of North America and Russia have sent corn, soybean and wheat prices soaring.

"It is certainly a concern of ours. It is certainly a concern of our clients of how much food that they are going to be able to afford to buy," said Mike MacDonald, manager of the food bank.

MacDonald says the food bank buys about $50,000 worth of food a year, and that money may not stretch as far this year.

"It's a concern for us of our donors and the prices that they will be paying on the food that they donate to us. It always has an effect on us. So we are hoping that prices don't increase that much. But it doesn't look good at this time."

Meanwhile, he says demand for the food bank's services continue to grow.