Time to Panic: There May Be a Global Kale Shortage

Hold onto your green juice: There is about to be a global kale shortage. According to ABC News Australia, Bejo Seeds, a company that provides kale seeds to farmers across the world, has run out of seeds. Said company owner Tony Hubbard, "You could describe it as embarrassing to us, but it's just one of those things that's happened on a global basis."

The "superfood" has come a long way since it was primarily used to decorate butcher cases. Steve Bruynen, a prominent farmer in Victoria, Australia says that over the past three years kale has become his dominant crop: "I've had to drop growing red cabbage and leeks... because I need the ground to grow the kale." Fifth generation growers Deborah and Darren Corrigan planted 1,500 kale seedlings just a few years back, but are now planting up to 150,000 each week at their large farm in Victoria. Demand is so high that the couple scours the country to find seedlings every week.

As Modern Farmer notes, it's hard to tell how Australia's shortage will affect the U.S., but since Bejo Seeds also supplies to farmers in the states, it's possible that American consumers could feel a pinch. The popularity of the curly green leaf cannot be overstated. Per ABC news, last year 250 babies in the U.S. were called 'Kale.'

· Rub of the Greens [ABC Australia]
· Ration Your Green Juice [Modern Farmer]
· All Kale Coverage on Eater [-E-]