It seems like the only thing there is no shortage of right now is shortages!

If you're like most Americans, you're more than frustrated with the lack of products and workers available in places like stores and restaurants at this time.

For example, one of my favorite restaurants here in Sioux Falls has been without oatmeal for several weeks. Hey, what can I say, I love oatmeal. Just call me Wilfred Brimley. I finally asked a sever last Sunday, what's the deal, is oatmeal being taken off your menu? She said no, we just can't get it. The company that provides our food products doesn't have it in stock right now.

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So what's the primary reason for these types of shortages?

The quick answer to that question is the country is experiencing both a product and worker shortage that stems from the pandemic.

Dakota News Now spoke with Nathan Sanderson, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association. Sanderson said, there are numerous cargo freighters backed up in ports right now with thousands of shipping containers filled with products waiting to be transported. The problem is, there aren't enough workers at the ports to take those items off the container ships and get them from point A to point B.

Then, of course, you need truck drivers to take those products from the ports to their destinations. That's been a problem as well. There aren't as many truck drivers on the roads at this time. The result is a perfect storm of events coming together at one time.

Here's another contributing factor...

According to Dakota News Now, during the pandemic places like southeast Asia temporarily stopped making some products. That product shortage is finally catching up with us here in the states.

My wife and I recently bought new living room furniture, which took over six months to get!

That appears to be the story for a number of people trying to buy furniture right now. Certain types of home furnishings are very difficult to get ahold of in a lot of cases.

One Sioux Falls furniture store that has been able to keep up with its customer demands during these product shortages is Montgomery Furniture.

Eric Sinclair, Montgomery's President, told Dakota News Now, “We’ve been very fortunate that we were able to start ordering early in the pandemic and continue to order throughout it. The supply chain has forced us to order more product, in larger quantities, more often, and schedule that product out for a long, long time."

Is there any relief in sight?

The answer to that question is, not any time soon, unfortunately.

Sanderson told Dakota News Now he looks for South Dakota businesses to be forced to deal with workforce, supply chain, and inflation issues in some form or fashion throughout the next five years.

Geesh! I hope my oatmeal comes back in stock before then!

Source: Dakota News Now

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