This Sukkas, No Specials On Lulavs

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The Egyptian government, which controls the area where most lulavs are harvested, has sharply reduced its exports, saying that harvesting the fronds harms the trees on which they grow, as reported previous on VOS IZ NEIAS.

But they did released 100,000 lulavs to the United States, at the urging of Jewish leaders and American government officials. But that is 400,000 fewer than it normally sends. Retailers have been trying to make up the shortfall with lulavs imported from Spain, but those are too few and too expensive to close the gap.
The announcement sent small shock waves through Jewish neighborhoods.

In response to the shortfall, the wholesale price of a lulav has rise sharply, to $10 or more; in previous years, the price was $2. Rather than giving them away, some are charging $15 apiece for the fronds this year.