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12-13-2011 09:52 PM |
Norway Butter Shortage
http://www.jimvictor.com/AssetsFood/cowsheepetc.jpg
An acute butter shortage in Norway, one of the world's richest countries, has left people worrying how to bake their Christmas goodies with store shelves emptied and prices through the roof.
The shortfall has been blamed on a rainy summer that cut into feed production and therefore dairy output of milk by 25 million litres, but also the ballooning popularity of a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich diet that has sent demand for butter soaring.
With butter sold out in the shops, Thomas Willoch had to get butter by other means.
"When we visited Germany some days ago we bought butter," he said.
The shortfall, expected to last into January, amounts to between 500 and 1,000 tonnes, said Tine, Norway's main dairy company, while online sellers have offered 500-gramme packs for up to 350 euros .
That's over $100 USD for a stick of butter!
There's even a butter smuggler!
Quote:
Last Friday, customs officers stopped a Russian at the Norwegian-Swedish border and seized 90 kilos of butter stashed in his car.
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Poor Norwegians might have to start using margarine.
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