Bad News for Pumpkin Lovers

According to an Associated Press article, a combination of high temperatures and record August rains has led to a fungus outbreak in pumpkin crops in New England and the Midwest. The two types of fungus afflicting the pumpkin crops cause the pumpkins to become moldy in some spots and then rot from the inside out. One pumpkin grower lost about 85% of one variety of pumpkins to the fungus, and another claimed he would likely be able to sell just 40% of his pumpkins because the remainder will be rotten.
This shortage of healthy pumpkins is bad news for those who sell pumpkins, like to eat pumpkin pie, enjoy carving jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, or just like pumpkins in general. And, because the pumpkin supply will shift to the left, we should all be able to recognize that the quantity of pumpkins supplied will decrease, causing the price of pumpkins to increase. So, if you need a pumpkin or two for this Halloween, you should check for moldy spots ("especially on the bottom of the pumpkins") and be willing to pay more for your festive and tasty orange gourds.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15138843/?GT1=8618