“We don't have an overabundance, but we do have enough pumpkins to get you by.”
Raghela Scavuzzo, Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director, on a lower-than-usual supply of pumpkins this year.
Published on
oct 29, 2021
- This year, farmers across the United States are reporting a lower-than-usual yield of pumpkins, contributing toward potential pumpkin shortages.
- Why? Modern Farmer reports: "Unfavorable weather conditions, shipping issues and a sprouting fungus across some of the US's biggest pumpkin-producing states."
- In Illinois (largest pumpkin producer in the U.S. and home to the "Pumpkin Capital of the World"), one patch reported losing nearly 30% of their crop. However, in anticipation of the fungus, they'd also planted extra pumpkins - leaving them with enough supply for holiday season sales.
- Big Picture: The lower supply of pumpkins could lead to a shortage of an important Thanksgiving ingredient: canned pumpkins. The lack of gourds has also had an impact on prices; as of mid-September, USDA data showed a 7% rise in prices for jack-o-lantern pumpkins as compared to last year. While patches may not be as plentiful this year, Scavuzzo points out that "You don't need to panic buy." This shortage of pumpkins, however, mirrors the larger issue of shortages the U.S. currently faces.
Is there a pumpkin shortage this year?
