Ice Cream and a Milk Shortage

There’s a milk shortage in Venezuela, and it’s affecting ice cream. In fact, in some cases, there is no ice cream to be had. But is it really because of an ice cream shortage?

Here’s the story:

One famous ice cream shop in Merida, Venezuela is closed right now. The folks who run the shop say it’s because of a lack of milk. However, the Venezuelan tourism ministry denies that a lack of milk is the reason the shop is closed. In fact, the ministry says there is no shortage of an ingredients and that other ice cream shops are still open.

Apparently, it’s not just about the milk. The country is experiencing shortages of such staples like corn and powered milk. It’s important to note that Venezuela is a country that is very dependent on exports.

So, what’s the real story? Is the country facing a milk shortage? According to the latest official figures released by Venezuela’s central bank, the scarcity index was at 29.4% in March 2014.

So what does that mean? The numbers suggest that out of 100 goods, 29 goods were not always available everywhere at certain times. This doesn’t mean there was no food. It just means there were times when folks in Venezuela had to look far and wide to find certain foods they wanted or needed.

Was milk one of these foods? And did this impact ice cream? It seems unclear.

We need to remember how fortunate we are to live where we live and have access to some many foods and food assistance if need.

Enjoy an occasional ice cream treat at your favorite ice cream spot and remember to appreciate what’s important in life.