• njm1314@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    What I don’t get is how come this hasn’t translated to more plentiful and cheaper soybeans here for the local market. You can’t buy fresh soybeans at my local grocery store. You can only get them frozen and they’re about four bucks a bag. Which isn’t hugely expensive but it’s not exactly cheap either.

    • skulblaka@sh.itjust.works
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      12 hours ago

      You think things are going to get cheaper just because there’s an excess of it? No, no, that’s not how that works here. You’re used to paying $4 a bag, therefore you will continue paying $4 a bag or more until the heat death of the universe. I’ll be surprised if it isn’t $6 a bag by this time next year.

      Anything not sold will, obviously, be destroyed. Can’t have anyone trying to eat it for free.

    • sleepundertheleaves@infosec.pub
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      11 hours ago

      Most soybeans grown in the US aren’t food grade. Something like 95% of US grown soybeans are grown for livestock feed and soybean oil, not for human consumption - the GMO varieties they grow don’t taste good as edamame and may not be safe to eat due to the high levels of pesticides used.

      The soybeans China imports from the US are used for soybean oil and livestock feed, just like most of the US soybean crop. You might see cheaper jugs of soybean oil as a result of China bowing out of the US market, but you’re not going to see cheaper green soybeans in your grocer’s freezer.

    • SolacefromSilence@fedia.io
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      12 hours ago

      They don’t usually harvest and store them fresh. Most are harvested and stored dry, but generally need additional processing to be used… there’s just not the domestic capacity to use it all. They can only supplement feeding farm animals and unless processed beforehand, are just like cooking any other dry bean.

    • davad@lemmy.world
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      13 hours ago

      Do you mean edamame? I think mature soy beans are normally dried for storage, but maybe I’m wrong?