The canning industry has seen an unprecedented demand for supplies as more consumers prepare meals at home during the pandemic, said a spokesperson for Newell Brands, owner of Ball, which produces Mason jars and other supplies.
“The demand has resulted in supply constraints, extended lead times and recently limited product availability at stores and online,” the spokesperson said. To replenish the stock as quickly as possible, the company said it had increased glass production and found additional lid manufacturers. [ /QUOTE]
The scarcity didn’t surprise Elizabeth Andress, project director for the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
“There seem to be more people canning than ever before – from the much higher number of inquiries coming into the National Center for help than in the past, and from the large number of participants I hear are attending virtual food preservation classes,” said Andress, a professor at the University of Georgia.
More people established gardens or expanded their existing plots earlier this year out of initial fears of a possible food shortage or apprehension about going to the grocery store during the pandemic.
The master garden helpline at the University of Vermont Extension has received more than 500 emails and phone calls since mid-March from new gardeners, those who are expanding their gardens or seeking help with plant disease issues, a jump from previous years, said Lisa Chouinard, the helpline assistant.
