So you've noticed some of the empty shelves at area supermarkets lately. Well, according to food economists, you ain't seen nothing yet.

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As we get more into fall and closer to the holiday season, many food economists are predicting that it's going to be harder to find some of your favorite items on the grocery store shelves.

As we reported about a week ago, stores like Costco have already reinstated purchase limits on things like water, toilet paper, and many other products, even wine and liquor have been in short supply as of late.

According to nbcconnecticut.com, Rodney Holcomb is a food economists at Oklahoma State University and he sent out an email release warning consumers that products like meat and poultry will be in short supply this fall, and higher meat prices may even extend into 2022. These shortages are an indirect effect of COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, processing plants are not working at full capacity, there are truck driver shortages and bottlenecks at New York Harbors, and that can only mean one thing --less products on the shelves, and higher prices for the consumer. This trickle-down effect is likely to interfere with people's holiday meal plans with staples like turkey and ham being in short supply as well.

Holcomb also warned of a possible canned goods shortage too because the price of aluminum has skyrocketed almost 40% since January, so food processing plants can't get enough of the material for the canned goods, and if they do, the prices on items that use aluminum cans or containers will also be through the roof.

In order to avoid widespread panic, experts are warning consumers not to hoard products. When that type of a behavior occurs, it can trigger a snowball effect on items, and cause a panic buying spree leaving the shelves even emptier and supply much harder to come by.

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