Halloween Candy Could Be More Expensive This Year

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Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without heaps of sweets. As sugar shortages plague manufacturers, Americans may have to pay more

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This week, The Wall Street Journal reported that sugar shortages are raising confectionery company prices and affecting output.

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Candy makers blame the sugar scarcity on an agriculture legislation that requires 85% of US sugar purchases to come from domestic processors.

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They believe sugar supplies get stressed and prices rise when demand is high, while sugar growers and processors deny that agricultural policy caused

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In May, USDA reported that Midwestern refined beet sugar prices rose to 62 cents per pound and raw sugar cane prices rose to 42.56 cents,

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the highest since January 2011. The USDA forecasts sugar supply to dip 2.3% next crop year, WSJ said.

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Kirk Vashaw, president of Ohio-based Spangler Candy, told the publication that a decline in sugar from suppliers has made it difficult to keep

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up with production in the previous year. They had to deny sweets orders they couldn't complete and produced 50 million fewer candy canes last year.

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Atkinson Candy Company in Texas, like Spangler, has difficulties getting enough sugar to meet orders. According to The Wall Street Journal,

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company president Eric Atkinson nearly ran out of supplies before discovering a Colombian sugar supplier.

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