美国国家公共电台 NPR--A drought in Canada is making it impossible to find mustard in France

A drought in Canada is making it impossible to find mustard in France

Transcript¹

For months, French shoppers have been complaining about a lack of mustard on the shelves. The shortages have largely been caused by a drought in Canada, the world's largest exporter of mustard seeds.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

For months, shoppers in France have been worrying about a severe mustard shortage. Emma Jacobs reports the shortfall has roots an ocean away.

EMMA JACOBS, BYLINE²: First, Gabrielle Villais noticed the popular mustard brands had gone missing from Paris supermarkets, then the lesser³ known ones. And then even the fancy specialty⁴ mustards had sold out. Its absence was jarring, says Villais.

GABRIELLE VILLAIS: It's both cultural. It's a family thing. It's a little bit sentimental⁵. It's also quite reassuring⁶ because it's always, always in your fridge.

JACOBS: Luckily, Villais, a translator and political consultant⁷, had a vacation planned to Dijon, the region of France synonymous with the country's favorite condiment⁸.

VILLAIS: We were looking forward to be able to score some mustard because there had been a shortage for a couple of weeks in Paris already.

JACOBS: In Dijon, you can visit mustard producers like some people visit wineries. But she found even their gift shops had run short.

VILLAIS: Even they didn't have anything but very odd-flavored mustard.

JACOBS: Because, it turns out, only a fraction of the mustard seed used by French mustard producers grows in Dijon. Most of the seed used by manufacturers actually comes from the Canadian prairies. The country produces half the world's exports of mustard seed.

(SOUNDBITE OF COMBINE RUNNING)

JACOBS: That's the sound of a combine harvesting mustard on the farm of Kevin Hursh, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It's a busy time of year for Hursh, who's bringing in a harvest that's been impacted for a second year by a lingering drought. But things aren't nearly as bad as last year.

KEVIN HURSH: It just refused to rain. And then temperatures ratcheted upwards⁹, especially in early July, getting close to 40 degrees. And crops just couldn't take it. So it's a difficult thing to watch your year's work wither¹⁰.

JACOBS: Forty degrees Celsius¹¹ is 104 Fahrenheit¹². Overall, mustard yields in the province were down by more than half. The war in Ukraine has also worsened shortages because that country also produces mustard seeds. But experts say it's climate change and not war that is the long-term worry. Dave Sauchyn, director of the Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative, says droughts are a natural part of their climate, but hotter temperatures can make them more severe. That's a worrying prospect¹³ for such a big food-producing region.

DAVE SAUCHYN: Mustard was impacted by the drought, and mustard is an important export crop. But in the bigger picture, there's probably more serious threats than just the loss of the mustard crop.

JACOBS: For mustard this year, at least, yields in Canada look a little higher. Farmers also planted more acres this season, so France's condiment shortage should come to an end soon. In Paris, Gabrielle Villais is looking forward to it.

VILLAIS: So next year, barbecues are saved.

JACOBS: Though she says the shortage has reminded her things we take for granted have become more vulnerable. And she did bring something special home from her Dijon vacation, not mustard but harissa, the North African-style chili¹⁴ paste.

For NPR News, I'm Emma Jacobs.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

4 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

5 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

6 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

7 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

8 condiment   

n.调味品

参考例句：

• It has long been a precious condiment.它一直都是一种珍贵的调味料。
• Fish sauce is a traditional fermented condiment in coastal areas.鱼露是沿海地区的传统发酵调味品。

9 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

10 wither   

vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡

参考例句：

• She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。
• In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

11 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

12 Fahrenheit   

n./adj.华氏温度；华氏温度计(的)

参考例句：

• He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.他被问到水的沸点是华氏多少度。
• The thermometer reads 80 degrees Fahrenheit.寒暑表指出华氏80度。

13 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

14 chili   

n.辣椒

参考例句：

• He helped himself to another two small spoonfuls of chili oil.他自己下手又加了两小勺辣椒油。
• It has chocolate,chili,and other spices.有巧克力粉，辣椒，和其他的调味品。