With ferry woes, stocking Labrador shelves was easier 40 years ago, says store owner

Produce is not being packed into coolers on the south coast of Labrador.

It hasn'tsurvived the frigid journey from the warehouse in Bay Roberts.

Phyllis Mangrove, who owns Mangrove's Store in St. Lewis, says it's been weeks since she's received fresh produce to stock her shelves.

"It's taking anywhere from six to 10 days to get our product in," Mangrove said.

A new ferry, theQajaqW, has spent a considerable about of time iced inat the dock rather thancrossing the Strait of Belle Isle this winter.

"The last two trips that got in, it was all frozen," said Mangrove.

Frozen produce has to be returned to the warehouse, leaving Mangrove's customers and many along Labrador's south coast with little to no options for fresh food.

The expense isn't on Mangrove for the unusable produce. While she does pay up front, she gets reimbursed for a bad shipment within the month.

When Mangrove got her start 41 years ago, shipments came in on the coastal boat from Lewisporte.

"Back then we didn't run out of anything. We'd always have supplies in," Mangrove said.

The coastal boats would deliver a supply for the entire winter, so the ordering was more predictable and when you ran out you were out until the boat returned in the spring.

Later, she said, airplanes brought in fruit and vegetables by plane, until the Trans-Labrador Highway opened up, but she doesn't consider the road an improvement for transportation of goods, because it's subject to winter weather.

"They call it the Labrador Highway, but actually it's just a summer road," she said. "I know everybody's saying this is a hard winter but it was the same last year and the year before."

"I've seen a lot of changes in the 41 years I've been in business, and none of them are for the better," she said.

Mangrove says customers understand the supply problems and are patient waiting for shipments to come in to the grocery store, but it's an ongoing winter issue.

"The fact is we live in Labrador and the winters are not going to get any better," Mangrove said.

"I thought it was hard back 40 years ago but it was nothing compared to what it is now."

According to a statement from theDepartment of Transportation and Works, the provincial government has made temporary arrangements to deliver "essential food and supplies to communities in Labrador while severe sea ice conditions are preventing ice breaking and shipments across the Strait of Belle Isle."

Air services and priority loading arrangementswith Marine Atlantic for perishable goods will be made available as temporary services while they are continuingto explore options for expediting food shipments to Labrador, said the statement.

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