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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Home-growers scramble for scarce seed

Duration: 01:53s 0 shares 4 views

Home-growers scramble for scarce seed
Home-growers scramble for scarce seed

Stores and online outlets such as Whole Foods and Walmart temporarily sold out of seeds once the coronavirus pandemic began mid-March, and many Americans made a run on seed sellers to grow their own food.

Megan Revell reports.

Many have discovered their green fingers in lockdown, such as yoga teacher Laila Thaw in New York.

"Spring onions, and then I tried some pea shoots here, and parsley, kale, tomato, radishes, and more kale." But U.S. home-growers are having to rely on seeds generated from their own produce.

Online and local stores such as Whole Foods and Walmart are selling out of seeds amid unprecedented demand.

"It made so many seeds.

It's like you can literally plant the whole pepper plantation." The U.S. retail garden seed market has been relatively flat.

It was valued at $717.6 million in 2018, and forecasted to reach $827.4 million in 2024.

TOS: Source: ResearchAndMarkets.com But with the recent boom in demand, that expansion could be much bigger.

Harris Seeds is a 140-year-old supplier in Rochester, New York.

It's experienced a 60% spike in home garden seed sales, according to CEO Ken Wasnock.

"So, you know, I think there's certainly a shortage of seeds that are packaged, you know, a ten-count, 50-count or even, I guess, 100-count of seed.

But, you know, there's we certainly have had plenty of seed, you know, at the company.

It's just more a case of trying to keep up the demand and keep it packaged." Home-grown produce isn’t just nourishing for the body.

Amid times of uncertainty, reconnecting with the earth has provided a solace for many, such as New Orleans resident Ann Herren.

"You know, it started out as a project to do, to keep us busy and to be productive.

But it sort of offered a lot more.

I mean, it's been good for our mental health, but it's been really good as far as connecting with other people as well."

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