Hurricane Ian could have impact on supply chain issues

AMHERST, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Although parts of the country won’t directly get hit by the storm, they will still feel the effects, more specifically when they go to the grocery store or go to purchase supplies for home improvement projects.

Hurricane Ian tore through parts of Florida and caused catastrophic damage and although other parts of the country won’t get hit with a storm, they’ll still feel an impact.

“It’s going to be an extremely challenging couple of weeks for the nation’s supply chains,” said UMass Amherst Professor Anna Nagurney

Western Mass News spoke with Nagurney, who studies transportation and supply chain networks. She worries, for one, about citrus crops in the Sunshine State.

“They produce 70 percent of the citrus crop, our oranges, our grapefruits, our tangerines,” Nagurney explained.

As a result, your future juice at breakfast may start to cost more, but there’s also a lot of other industries settled in Florida that may be affected too.

“There’s a lot of automotive part manufacturing that happens in Florida, a lot of aerospace manufacturing that happens in Florida. Also, a lot of medical device products as well,” Nagurney added.

Of course, there are already a lot of pandemic-related including supply chain issues and shortages of workers. The people affected by the hurricane will start to need supplies and sending those supplies to Florida may put a strain on already limited resources.

“Many of the logistics providers, they’ve pivoted to deliver relief items and disaster relief supplies, rather than delivering goods,” Nagurney noted.

With houses and buildings in desperate need of repair, your home project supplies may be even more difficult to get your hands on.

“They’re going to need lumber, which has increased in price throughout the pandemic. They are going to need glass to replace windows,” Nagurney said.

Many people are concerned about how gas and oil prices may be affected. However, we checked in with AAA and they do not expect the hurricane to have much of an impact.

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