Pumpkin Shortage

  Pumpkin may be a signature fall flavor but a below average sugar pumpkin harvest could lead to a shortage of canned pumpkin.According to crop experts in Illinois, the country's top pumpkin producing state, the large rounded type of pumpkin typically found at pumpkin patches will be enough for all Halloween/fall activities, but that might not be the case for the canned pumpkin.

   "I would not wait until November 20th," University of Illinois professor Mohammad Badodoost said, "I'd buy it whenever it comes to the store."

   Sugar, or pie pumpkins are not the same as the pumpkins that we carve for Halloween. Sugar pumpkins are smaller and have more flesh.

   Farmers are blaming the shortage on the record rain fall in June for washing out their sugar pumpkin crop. Some planters even planted a second round of crops, and they were washed out as well.

   Illinois makes up 90 percent if all pumpkins grown in the U.S.

   So if pumpkin pie is part of your upcoming holiday traditions, you may want to go ahead and stock up on canned pumpkin.