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Pumpkin Pie Shortage

By brad underwood – bio | email

LAWRENCEBURG, IN (FOX19) - Pumpkin pie.  A staple at the thanksgiving dinner table.  However, heavy rains this year make it hard to properly harvest pumpkins in time to get them into cans for the holidays.

And grocery store shelves are looking light.

Its something we've been having trouble getting it in, but we do still have some the pumpkin pie filling left," says kroger manager Geoff Miller.

Nestle foods sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the world. They control 80-90 percent of the canned pumpkin market. Their biggest seller is Libby's.

Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn says that wet harvest conditions prevent the mass harvest needed to keep the shelves full.

"It's dwindling everyday because we're continuing to ship product and when that product is gone, when we have shipped, then you will shortages across the country and there wont be any pumpkin until august of next year," says O'Hearn

But don't panic.

If your favorite canned pumpkin filler is out of stock. There are other ways to get your fix.

Simply head over to the stores bakery or even frozen food section.

"Our frozen foods pies, some on sale. We've got some buy one get one right now, so we've got you covered," says Miller.

And if you don't feel like cooking at all, kroger, like many grocery stores sell ready to heat meals. You get the turkey or ham, sides and even the pumpkin pie.

But to insure the holidays are sweet, buy the dessert first.

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