Lentil shortage

Doom_and_Gloom

I do hope we don't get a shortage. I use them alot as I'm vegan. Fruit, veg, wholegrain and pulses of all kinds make most of my diet. What I buy food wise overall has already gone up by 25% in just a year :eek: . If pulses go up more or worse still we have a shortage or run out of them I'm going to find that rather hard. I do think they have gone up in price however that might not mean a shortage. I'm not sure. As I said I hope not.

[Deleted User]

thanks mudgekin. I too noticed that prices had gone up. We use a lot of lentils here and I am all for money saving by stockpiling

Re breadflour: I use organic stoneground and managed to buy a lot a few weeks ago. It is all under careful cool storage and the cost of the quality flour that I use has gone up by 1/3 compared to the price I paid. Not from tesco by the way as I don`t buy my flour there. There is nothing wrong with stockpiling tp save money and also to keep us away from the shelves if there is a shortage

Some people will always mock but we`ll see who has the last laugh

lilibeth

The lentil shortage is due to get a hell of a lot worse, we haven't felt the full force of it yet. But there is a real possibility the prices will go even higher due to this being the second year of extra heavy infestations by the lentil beetle(lentilus piggius bugius).
Apparently they can grow larger than your thumb nail and they bite people too. Lentil pluckers in the Imt akingthep iss region are threatening to strike.

My suggestion is to panic buy.
Immediately

vixtress

lilibeth wrote: »

The lentil shortage is due to get a hell of a lot worse, we haven't felt the full force of it yet. But there is a real possibility the prices will go even higher due to this being the second year of extra heavy infestations by the lentil beetle(lentilus piggius bugius).
Apparently they can grow larger than your thumb nail and they bite people too. Lentil pluckers in the Imt akingthep iss region are threatening to strike.

My suggestion is to panic buy.
Immediately

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

that did make me laugh,

seriously though i dont see a problem with bulk buying if theres a chance prices will go up! thanks to op for the info.
i am lucky to work in bradford which is full of fab, cheap asian supermarkets

AudreyHepburn_2

Lovin' the beetles!

I buy Tescy's Yellow Split Peas at 39p per 500g.
They are cheaper than lentils and have 22g of protein per 100g which is great for veggies or vegans.

If you soak them for 12 hours / overnight before cooking they will cook in 30 mins the same as lentils.

Discard the soaking water and cook in fresh. I find them far less "windy" than beans.
*blushes*

OrkneyStar

Just sent DH down to local Coop to get some red lentils (actually we do need some as I used a whole packet making some soup last week) but he has come back and said they are out of stock :eek:, apparently they are getting some in tomorrow (although they tend to say that about anything thats not in stock!)- will have a nosey in some of the wee shops tomorrow.
I have got to say there is nothing wrong with stocking up to an extent but I can also see angelnikki's point too. Everyone buying one or two extra bag(s) is fine, but when a few people buy lots of extra bags then soon others are not able to get them (I remember a certain bread mix story which may be the one she is referring to ?).
TBH I go through my red lentils but seem to ignore my puy or green ones- anyone got any god puy recipes (or do we not want to make lentil recipes popular ?)
Lots of prices are going up so lentils are not alone, and we cannot stock pile everything!
x OS
PS I agree with AudreyHepburn about split peas (although they do need soaking so more planning ahead needed than with red lentils which can be washed and used straight away).

lynzpower

http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2006/09/06/indias_ban_leads_to_lentil_shortage_here/

Heres how the lentil market was being experiejnced in India in 2006,

Their staple food stuff its totally out of reach for the majority of indians, especially in rice prices too.

Food shortgages diving Indias inflation. earlier this year,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7330045.stm

larmy16

I want to know who keeps panic buying all the Earl Grey tea bags in my local Morrisons??? So guess what - when I see them finally I end up buying four or five boxes. I do see angelnikki's point of course, even so I did buy a few bags of lentils but there were l ots left on the shelf too.:);)

luxor4t

Back in the Spring I bought a large plastic jar/bottle thing full of lentils from MrT's asian foods shelves. Brilliant value! Went back two weeks ago for more & the best I could find was one small branded pack of lentils at a comparatively eyewatering price. Looks like the shortage/ panic buying/ whatever had already started.
Thanks for the splitpea hint - OH has HM lentil soup every Saturday for lunch so I shall start blending & stretching. (sounds like an exercise regime!)

angelnikki

OrkneyStar wrote: »

I can also see angelnikki's point too. Everyone buying one or two extra bag(s) is fine, but when a few people buy lots of extra bags then soon others are not able to get them (I remember a certain bread mix story which may be the one she is referring to ?).

I was referring to bread flour not mixes

I had to go without bread flour for ages because I am disabled and unable to leave the house to go around all the shops to find where there was some in stock. Everyone was clearing the shelves in panic of there being a shortage or a price increase. There was never a price increase and the only shortage was caused by people panic buying.