Panic at the aperitif: the shortage of chickpeas looms!

For several months now it has become difficult to find mustard on small, medium and large surfaces in France and beyond. Mainly due to the conflict in Ukraine. Now it’s the chickpeas’ turn to become a rare commodity, he reports Western France. The media particularly emphasize the impact of global warming. The United States reduced plantations by 5% due to drought while floods weighed on crops in Australia.

Why are chickpeas becoming a rare commodity?

But it is above all the conflict caused by Russia in Ukraine that intensifies the scarcity of the legume, explains the regional daily:

“Kyiv, producer of 40,000 tons of chickpeas in 2020, was unable to sow the entire crop due to the war. And Russia, the world’s leading exporter with 250,000 tons (25% of the market), is under sanctions. “

To this, of course, is added the pandemic, which has complicated everything, and inflation, which causes prices to rise further. We thus find ourselves with a demand that far exceeds the supply, and therefore prices that increase by at least 12%.

How can we continue to live without chickpeas?

The more imaginative people in the kitchen can then try swapping the rarefied chickpeas for white beans or green lentils, depending on the dish. For hummus, coral lentils also work wonders: cooked, mixed with a good dose of tahini (sesame puree), salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, coriander, paprika and lemon, and that’s it. I obviously recommend a pinch of chilli, or even a little mango for the sweet and savory side, to cope with the shortage of chickpeas.

Front page photo credit: pexels-nataliya-vaitkevich-6252725.