Barbara Melera of D. Landreth Seeds of New Freedom, Pennsylvania warns that a Seed shortage crops up for 2010:

But, she said, “In 2009, we had the worst growing season in 50 years.” Rain and disease destroyed crops and, with them, the seeds for next year’s garden.

“Onion sets. And a cucumber seed shortage,” she predicted. “We are being told that the cucumber harvest was catastrophic, attacked late in the season by woolly mildew. There was fruit, but no viable seeds inside.

“We are being told that many, many varieties simply won’t be available.”

Likewise, Europe had a terrible harvest last year, and Europeans bought much of their produce from the United States, taking with it the seeds.

And, as further proof that we are in a global marketplace, Europeans and Australians have taken a fancy to eating sprouts – tons of sprouts.

“When you grow vegetables just to get the sprouts, nothing gets to fruit,” she said. “And they are consuming gigantic quantities of seeds just for the purpose of sprouts.”

There are reports that crop failures around the world may lead to a Global Food Disaster. Though reports from the USDA and independent news sources are mixed, anecdotal evidence suggests that there is something amiss in the farming sector. A recent review of prices by SHTF Plan from several well known distributors, including farming distributor Agrich, indicates that seed prices are on the rise, in some cases over a 100% increases in price in just the last three months.

Perhaps a combination of failing crops, mass use by Europeans for sprouting, and the rise in seed purchases by foreward looking preppers may be responsible for the price increases.

For now, the question of whether or not the cause for price increases is due to increased demand or reduced supply remains unanswered.