Michigan Shoppers Can Expect to Pay More For This Product Amid Shortage

Have you felt the squeeze yet?

These days it seems if it's not one thing, it's another! If it's not a longtime major retailer abruptly closing like Rue21 or Rite-Aid, then it's some sort of food recall, contagious virus or invasive species alert.

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Whatever happened to: "No news is good news"?

Not only has the cost of groceries and home goods skyrocketed, we're running out of our favorite staples! After an unexpected winter cold snap devastated the local peach crop in southwest Michigan and northern Indiana the climate crisis has also claimed one of our breakfast favorites: orange juice.

According to ABC Money News,

Orange production in two top growing regions has been plagued by diseased fruit and bad weather, a combination that’s prompted all-time high prices

Things are so bad that Fundecitrus, the Fund for Citrus Protection, believes a decline in orange production in Brazil and Florida could lead to the second-smallest crop since the 1988-1989 season.

Yikes! Sounds like the price tag for your weekly Sunday funday mimosa bar brunch just got even bigger.

What's Happening to the Oranges?

Do I even have to say it? Climate crisis!

More frequent and hotter heatwaves are affecting the orange crop across Brazil and South America, as well as in Florida. The weather combined with depleted reserves of frozen orange juice concentrate mean consumers across Michigan and the rest of the nation can expect to pay more at checkout.

Today, news outlets are reporting that citrus manufacturers are currently exploring other citrus fruits to incorporate into their orange juice mixtures. However, that would require new legislation and regulations from the Food and Drug Administration.