The Price of Strawberries

Has anyone else been seeing ridiculously high prices for strawberries these days?  In just a week and a half they have doubled in price.  I called our produce guys before I ordered any strawberries and today's going rate for a flat is $44.95CAD. 

Needless to say I didn't order any.  We have pulled strawberries off of every plate except for the ones that are stated on the menu to have them as a main ingredient.  Head office was in today and told us that we can't take strawberries off of the menu. I was talking to the owner and I said to him that if we were an independent place we could take them off, but we have to do what we're told being part of a chain.

I hope this shortage as they're calling it is over soon.  I have to make the weekend strawberry order just for the three dishes that we use them for now and with the prices at $44.95 my produce order for Saturday before I even add in anything else is already going to be in the $230CAD range.