Are you a pickle lover? If so, extreme weather in Mexico could be impacting snack availability in the United States.
Americans consume more than 20 billion pickles each year, but consumers recently noticed that some restaurants are warning of a “national pickle shortage.”
The warning from restaurants like Firehouse Subs and local delis comes as experts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University say a combination of import dependence and extreme weather could impact supplies. It’s mostly valid.
“There is certainly a shortage of pickled cucumbers, and that has something to do with reduced supplies from Mexico,” Jonathan Schultheis, a professor of horticultural science at North Carolina State University, told FOX Weather. “It’s too hot (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in certain growing regions, leading to reduced yields. In other major producing regions in Mexico, it’s too cold. The crop doesn’t suffer from freezes, but pickled cucumbers… temperature that does not promote growth.
The United States imports more than 1 million tons of fresh cucumbers annually, about 75% of which comes from Mexico, but imports may be off by at least 7%. According to USDA estimates.
It is this dependence on imports that puts some companies in trouble.
Impact of El Niño phenomenon on harvest
A climate cycle known as El Niño has caused extreme weather in 31 Mexican states.
Generally, the warm waters of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean cause increased rainfall and cooler conditions during the winter and warm, dry heat during the summer.
Pickled cucumbers grow best when temperatures are between 70 °F and 90 °F, but finding that constant has been relatively difficult.
Large areas of the country are also experiencing drought, causing water levels in reservoirs to drop.
The country’s National Water Commission has even restricted flow in some reservoirs, citing increased strain and demand.
Cucumbers also require a fair amount of rainfall, with growers suggesting cucumbers need about an inch of water per week during the season.
Most of Mexico’s annual precipitation occurs during the summer monsoon, but its activity levels vary, so this weather phenomenon is not a reliable means of drought relief.
Don’t blame Mexico for the trade gap
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said domestic production of cucumbers and certain types of pumpkins is declining, despite growing consumer demand for healthy vegetables.
In fact, consumption has increased by more than 24% in recent years, according to government estimates.
The U.S. International Trade Commission investigated the allegations of unfair trade competition, which the agency found to be without merit.
Industry groups say the increase in cucumber imports is due to labor shortages, unfavorable weather in the Southeast and consumer tastes that favor the consistency of Mexican products over domestically produced products.
“Imports from Mexico exceed U.S. domestic production, making it the primary source of cucumbers and squash for the U.S. market. This shift is also occurring in other fresh produce sectors, such as fresh market tomatoes and peppers. The trends observed in fresh produce are consistent with an overall faster pace of growth in U.S. agricultural imports from Mexico,” the experts said. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences previously noted.
It remains to be seen whether Mexico can turn around production and overcome extreme weather, but there are many other countries in the Americas that could solve the pickle dilemma.
