A Hummus Shortage Is On The Way, So Sorry To All Share Houses
Pouring one Yumi's out for my homies.
An international hummus shortage may be on the horizon after a drop in chickpea supplies.
The Global Pulse Confederation has predicted 20 percent of the legume will be wiped out this year, with ramifications on the popular dip as its main ingredient, alongside being a key staple in many cultures, diets, and cuisines.
The Russia-Ukraine war has halted growth in both countries — Ukraine was unable to yield its full crop, while sanctions against Russia are making a dent in hummus production as a country that produces 25 percent of global trade.
Then, to top things off, farmers in the US — the fourth-largest producer — scaled back their seed planting due to drought, while Mexico followed suit with its own weather concerns, and Turkey enforced an export ban on chickpeas.
Supplies here were affected by the opposite problem — the La Niña special. “Part of the planted area is still underwater,” advisory director a Sydney agricultural commodities service IKON, Ole Houe told Reuters of Australia’s flooded fields.
These geopolitical and weather factors are spiking the price of whatever stock ends up hitting the shelf, reported The Guardian. The outlet found a 100 percent jump in British supermarkets since the start of the year for some product ranges, and a 12 percent increase in chickpea prices in the US.
While Australia is grappling with a domestic lettuce shortage, the US also reported low rice paper stock in May, and poor chilli harvests made a dent in popular sriracha brand Huy Foy’s output a month later.
Electronic point-of-sale data from 2021 revealed that Aussie shoppers were lapping up more chickpeas, with a 15 percent increase in legume sales at the supermarket. Consumer group CHOICE reported that Aldi Deli Originals traditional hummus holds the reigns as the country’s most popular brand for the dip, followed by Black Swan, and Monjay Mezza.
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