When life gives you lemons, make the most of them because the price of the citrus fruit is on the rise.
A heatwave in Southern California this month also means rising costs for lemons.
Lemon crops have been struggling due to the heat.
According to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a decline in lemon crops has driven wholesale prices up almost 40%.
In Southern California, carton prices averaged $52-$55 as of Friday, compared to $36-$39 on June 1.
Experts predict demand will exceed supply until at least September or October.
Sysco's FreshPoint, a major produce distributor, suggested in a tweet customers should switch to limes.
FreshPress Alert #LEMONS: A series of unusual weather events has devastated the domestic #lemon crop. Lemons that are available will be poor quality, including excessive skin scarring and off sizes. We encourage substituting #limes when possible. pic.twitter.com/kwq7TdVfHt
— FreshPointInc (@FreshPointInc) July 17, 2018
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