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Lime Shortage Affects Cocktail Bars, Restaurants...and You


weinoo

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So the latest shortage to hit consumers is the versatile lime. Used by restaurants and bars, the price increase is starting to make itself felt.

 

From a story on Eater:

Poor weather in Colima is partly to blame for the shortage, destroying a majority of this year's crop. But a bigger issue is ongoing violence between Mexican drug cartels and the farmers they've been strong-arming, who've begun to fight back. Harvest and export of limes has gotten caught up in the mix, and the problem has filtered down to local bars, who are scrambling to adjust. Julio Bermejo, whose family has been churning out Tommy's margaritas since 1965, says it's the worst lime problem he's seen in his career. "I have never seen it this bad for so long."

 

And it also appears there a citrus disease affecting the lime tree. from the LA times:

 

A variety of factors have contributed to a shortage of limes in the United States that has more than doubled prices over this time last year. And one of the most important is an outbreak of a citrus disease in the prime lime-growing area of Colima, Mexico – and that’s a problem that could affect California as well in the near future.

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-calcook-disease-that-helped-cause-lime-shortage-in-mexico-could-come-to-california-20140326,0,1187921.story#ixzz2yIEBNkWk

 

 

 

What will we all do?  Would you ever resort to using chemical substitutes that mimic the flavor and acid of a lime?

Edited by weinoo (log)

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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I just got back from my local "super" market, Their price for limes has always been 4 or 5 for $1; when on sale, 8 or 10 for the same price.

 

Today, they were 5 for $3.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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I just got back from my local "super" market, Their price for limes has always been 4 or 5 for $1; when on sale, 8 or 10 for the same price.

 

Today, they were 5 for $3.

Yep!!

 

Got 10 for $6  _  I remember my wife saying why did you get them here for that price.

 

So I bought mine to make a shrimp ceviche--  Lime juice, Tomitillo, cilantro, habanero, serrano, chive and avacado s and p

 

The limes were pretty dry--so yeah--I reached for the Real Lime Juice in the plastic container ( but just a little )  :(

Its good to have Morels

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At Trader Joe's the price for a bag of organic limes (approx 6 limes) used to be $1.99. I think I paid $3 last week (I bought a couple of bags to make daiquiris). Yesterday they were not in stock, but for a Monday that is pretty typical as they were in the process of restocking.

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Forty cents each at my local discount supermarket just now.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

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Forty cents each at my local discount supermarket just now.

 

Not bad, you could probably hawk them here under the newly-allowed classified rules and make at least 50% profit on them!

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This was part of an article in today's Kansas City Star:  "The problem centers in Mexico.....Bad weather and disease cut production earlier this year.  Meanwhild drug cartels in the state of Michoacan are demanding extortion payments from lime growers and have taken control of a distribution center where they sell their limes, ...

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image.jpg

Today. If you can read the sign you will see these are MEXICAN limes. Go figure. It doesn't add up.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

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It looks to me like someone drew a slash mark on the sign, Anna.  I can't wait to see what my local lime prices will be at the store tomorrow.

 

And I don't know about anybody else but I got my order in for half a pound of Mexican vanilla beans tonight.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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At Trader Joe's the price for a bag of organic limes (approx 6 limes) used to be $1.99. I think I paid $3 last week (I bought a couple of bags to make daiquiris). Yesterday they were not in stock, but for a Monday that is pretty typical as they were in the process of restocking.

I just bought a bag at Trader Joe's in Pittsburgh last week and I can't remember exactly what I paid, but it didn't seem out of the ordinary.  Could be a different story the next visit, however.  I'll have to see what Bottom Dollar is charging, if they have them at all.

Edited by brinza (log)

Mike

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It looks to me like someone drew a slash mark on the sign, Anna. 

The sign does also say, "or .29 ea"

Mike

"The mixing of whiskey, bitters, and sugar represents a turning point, as decisive for American drinking habits as the discovery of three-point perspective was for Renaissance painting." -- William Grimes

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It looks to me like someone drew a slash mark on the sign, Anna.  I can't wait to see what my local lime prices will be at the store tomorrow.

 

And I don't know about anybody else but I got my order in for half a pound of Mexican vanilla beans tonight.

Nope. No slash. This was the price. 4 for 99 cents or 29 cents each.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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I reluctantly purchased another four limes this evening for $5.00.  However I just noticed my store sells US limes, not Mexican.  Duh.

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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Earlier today. One of our more upmarket stores. Also Mexican limes.

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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69 cents a pop at Whole Foods in DC today, which seems pretty normal. May check the suburban ethniquerias this weekend.

Edited by Hassouni (log)
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2/$1 along the Texas Gulf Coast, today.

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