Fig and butter shortages

[PoorRichardsGirl]

I'm in the US but I've been listening to podcasts from Europe lately. Things turn up in their programs that I haven't seen in the media yet over here.

There's apparently a fig roll shortage in the UK, due to problems with Turkish figs. I wonder where we get most of our figs in the US, and whether our Fig Newtons will be next. I have a feeling Aldi will have to increase their fig bar price soon--last time I checked they were only 89 cents.

Then there's the butter shortage in Japan.

[Darlene]

I think hoarding is what has led to the butter "shortage" Do not panic.

[Holly]

If you can buy heavy cream you can make your own butter.
I agree with Darlene.
media is not helping

[suki]

The butter shortage in Japan is really of their own creation but has nothing at all to do with hoarding.

"Japan's domestic production accounts for about 86 percent of total butter demand. But domestic raw milk production was cut in fiscal 2006 after a glut forced farmers to dispose of not only surplus milk, but also dairy cows.

Now, milk is sold mainly for higher-priced drink or cheese production.

In fiscal 2006, milk for butter and skim milk production dropped 7 percent from a year earlier. The first 10 months of fiscal 2007 saw a further 4 percent drop. Domestic butter production fell from 85,500 tons in fiscal 2005 to 78,000 tons in fiscal 2006.

The drop came just as international prices of butter shot up due to a drought in Australia, higher grain prices and increased consumption in newly developed countries.

Some food makers switched from imports to domestic butter, leading to drops in the volume of butter stock. The stock rose to 19,700 tons in January for the first month-on-month jump in seven months, but it was still at 80 percent of the level a year ago, according to the farm ministry.

Raw milk production is expected to climb in fiscal 2008, but how much will go to butter production is unknown. " http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-...803140076.html

As for the figs, drought and a disease effecting the pollinating wasps in Turkey have caused a shortage. http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-...803140076.html

However in the US, we rely on figs from California and while we don't really have much of a shortage... world-wide demand will cause the price to increase.

"Denise Junqueiro, of the Californian Fig Advisory Board, said: " As it will take some years for worldwide production supplies to recover, the California dried fig industry expects to see higher prices and better grower returns in the immediate future."
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...used_to_be.php


Thanks for the "heads up" on this issue.

[C@rol]

I think a lot of these reports are to stir up a lot of
histeria and people running out to buy all they
can so that these people will make more money.