Whether you call them chickpeas, garbanzo beans, or spherical squishies (what can I say, I’m a whimsical gal), these little tan beans hold a special place in our hearts, and our hummus. And, unfortunately, they are the latest addition to a growing list of foods that are expected to be facing shortages soon. The cause? A combination of weather and war.
According to data from the Global Pulse Confederation (apparently in this case “pulse” refers to legumes), global chickpea supplies could be reduced by up to 20% this year, Reuters reports. Farmers in the U.S. apparently planted fewer chickpeas due to bad weather during spring planting, with many opting instead for more profitable types of crops. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine, both major chickpea suppliers, are at war, resulting in a drastic reduction in chickpea output. It looks like this issue may be going on for a while.
So what does this mean for us at our local grocery stores? According to Food & Wine, data shows that grocery store prices for chickpeas are already up 12% from 2021. That is quite a jump. So if you see hummus or chickpeas in the store, get them now, because they likely ain’t getting cheaper anytime soon. Although Sabra, the hummus company, did tell Reuters that they were going to try to keep hummus coming into the U.S. for as long as they can. So thanks, Sabra, for doing your darndest.
As with any food item shortage, this is a bummer. Chickpeas have always been a cheap and tasty source of protein, not to mention a major food staple in the Middle East. But if nothing else good comes out of this situation, at least we haven’t lost the option to call chickpeas “spherical squishies” for the rest of our lives. And that’s worth something.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!