CA Drought Causing Sriracha Shortage

California’s current climate catastrophes have a trickle down effect that causes issues across multiple segments of society.

The latest problem? A shortage of the beloved sriracha hot sauce.

California based company Huy Fong Inc. is the main supplier of sriracha in the United States.

They’re currently telling suppliers to not promise sales to customers unless they already have the hot sauce in stock.

The company claims they won’t have new supplies ready until after Labor Day.

According to a writeup on the shortage in The Hill, Huy Fong Inc. is blaming the shortage on climate conditions.

“It also concluded that drought stress decreased reproductive growth parameters and pungency of pepper fruit, and that the most important factor in the production of chili peppers is the availability of water at the flowering and pod formation stage, which are critical time periods to ensure good yield and pepper quality.”

“This drought has resulted in the severe shortage of chilies and is what Huy Fong Inc. pointed at in its statement as the “severe weather conditions” affecting the quality of the peppers.”

As we blogged about last month, California is set for a summer of severe drought, extreme heat, and wildfires.

The SF Chronicle recently posted a long report about California’s multiple environmental issues.

California’s overpopulation is a contributing factor to climate change and a direct factor in the water shortage.

What this report about sriracha reveals is the unforeseen effects of California’s overpopulation.

While a summer without sriracha may be harrowing for lovers of the popular hot sauce, it’s obviously not a life or death issue.

But imagine if this starts to affect staple crops that California produces? Crops that the entire world relies on for their food supply?

It’s not a pleasant thought to think through to its conclusion.

However, that’s the frightening reality we are currently living in.

Unless we get serious about overpopulation in California, sriracha shortages will be the least of our problems.