Why is there no shortage of things we don’t like?
After England’s World Cup defeat, I didn’t think there could be any more dispiriting news this week. But it turns out we’re all going to have to brace ourselves for a shortage of peas this summer. Apparently, the heatwave and lack of water has damaged their growth and ensured that the bugs that attack pea pods are thriving.
The Grocer, the industry magazine, reported one pea grower saying the vegetables had “overexerted themselves searching for water”. Having spent much of the past fortnight typing away with all the blinds down to minimise the blistering levels of heat in my flat, I know the feeling.
This comes shortly after we were told to stockpile halloumi cheese, as farmers in Cyprus were struggling to meet demand. Warburtons had to suspend crumpet production at two of its four bakeries because it did not have enough carbon dioxide gas to keep the products fresh. And a worldwide slump in coffee production continues.
Three out of four of these items – cheese, crumpets and coffee – rank among my favourite consumable goods of all time. (It’s not that I don’t like peas, it’s simply that they’re less effective at curing a hangover.)
Anyway, it seems terribly unfair that we keep getting shortages of things we like. What about shortages of things it would be good to have fewer of – such as mosquitoes or American presidents?