ATLANTA – Georgia, “The Peach State,” is experiencing one of its worst peach shortages in decades, according to CNN.
The state lost more than 90% of this year’s crop in February due to a heat wave, which was followed by two big frosts, according to the report.
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The back-to-back weather extremes caused prices to skyrocket and markets to vastly move (resulting in peaches coming in as far as California). Boxes of peaches are being sold now as much as $40, a drastic jump from the usual $17-$20.
Restaurateurs across the state are scrambling to find alternatives to combat the shortage, with one restaurant in particular offering peach-flavored rolls on the weekends, instead of daily.
The shortage isn’t just affecting peach fanatics, but those who work during harvest season as well.
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According to the Washington Post, farmers could only hire a small portion of seasonal employees. Another grower told CNN that he was forced to lay off several employees, many of whom traveled from Mexico on work visas to support their families.
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