Some U.S. restaurants have been warning customers of a "national pickle shortage," and it turns out that those warnings have some merit.
According to Fox Weather, heat and drought across Mexico brought on by the El Niño climate cycle has led to a shortage of pickling cucumbers in the country.
When you consider that the U.S. imports about three-quarters of its fresh cucumbers -- including those used for pickling -- from south of the border, it's easy to see how problems in Mexico could lead to a shortage in the U.S.
According to a report from the Department of Agriculture, cucumber imports were down 7 percent in January and February.
Fox noted that pickling cucumbers need temperatures in the 70-to-90 degree Fahrenheit range to thrive, but experts say parts of the growing area in Mexico have been seeing temperatures of 100 degrees because of El Niño this year.
"There indeed has been a shortage in pickling cucumbers, and it has to do with reduced supply from Mexico," Jonathan Schultheis, a professor in horticultural science at North Carolina State University, told Fox.
"In certain growing regions, it has been too hot (100 °F), which reduces yields," he explained. "In other key production regions in Mexico, it has been too cold.
"The crop has not suffered from freezes but temperatures that do not promote pickling cucumber growth," Schultheis added.
Parts of the country have also suffered drought significant enough to lower reservoir levels and prompt the government to enact water-use restrictions in some areas, Fox said.
Typically, the cucumber crop needs about an inch of water weekly to thrive, most of which comes during the wet summer season. How much of that they'll receive this year is obviously hard to know this early.
The U.S. has become increasingly dependent on Mexico for fresh vegetables \-- including cucumbers -- in recent years, which Fox said is due to a number of issues.
"Trade groups have noted that the increase in imports of cucumbers is due to a lack of laborers, poor weather in the Southeast, and consumers’ taste buds favoring the consistency of Mexico’s products over those produced domestically," the outlet noted.
Given that the U.S. typically imports more than 750,000 tons of fresh cucumbers from Mexico and consumes 20 billion or more pickles annually, El Niño could be putting a crimp in the dietary habits of many Americans.
Aside from their high salt content, pickles are generally considered a healthy snacking option, according to WedMD, as they contain vitamin K, calcium, beta-carotene and potassium, among other nutrients.
"Whether Mexico’s production can turn around and overcome weather extremes remains to be seen, but there are plenty of other countries in the Americas that could aid in the pickle dilemma," Fox reported.
Which, I suppose, is good news. It's encouraging to know that the U.S. has other nations to turn to for help in getting out of this ... pickle.
Sorry (not sorry).
