Next News Network

If you plan on hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year or are tasked with bringing a dish, this report is for you.

Those looking for cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner may find themselves in a pickle this fall.

According to the Washington Examiner, a “critical drought” is affecting much of Massachusetts, the second-largest cranberry producer in the US after Wisconsin.

During “critical droughts,” residents of the state are prohibited from using any non-essential outdoor water.

The crop has been described by farmers as finicky and requiring a lot of fresh water and consistent weather. Over the years, Massachusetts has experienced a number of extreme changes in its weather.

Farmers have faced challenges from heat waves, storms, and droughts.

The cranberry shortage comes at the time when the country is already bracing for Thanksgiving expenses as inflation remains at a 40-year high. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’s consumer price index, food prices rose 11.4% during the unadjusted 12 months that ended in Aug. 2022.

And, according to the New York Post, compared to the five-year average, turkey hen costs are currently up 57%.

Prices have reached their highest level ever. This year, the price of turkey breast meat has soared to more than $6.50 per pound. In 2020, the same cut cost less than $2 per pound.

It’s been years since Americans have been able to have a normal Thanksgiving between the pandemic and crazy prices due to inflation. Hopefully we can all enjoy the holiday as much as we can until everything goes back to normal.