(Image Source: The Guardian)

BY BRIAN BONDUS

ANCHOR LAUREN ZIMA

Christmas might not be as sweet this year in one of the world’s richest countries. A key ingredient to Christmas goodies is nearly impossible to find on the shelves in Norway-- and it’s in high demand. KABC gives us the scoop.

“Norway is going through a butter shortage. Not only are butter supplies scarce, but the prices are also skyrocketed. Experts say a rainy summer reduced the quality of animal feed, decreasing milk production in the country by more than 5 million gallons. Stores have now started to ration how much butter they sell and the Norwegian Government has reduced tariffs on imports.”

According to the BBC, butter sales rose 20 percent in October and 30 percent in November. Norwegian dairy cooperative, Tine, supplies the country with 90 percent of its butter. And Norway International Network reports the milky monopoly also contributed to the shortage.

“Tine waited much too long to address the looming butter shortage probably because it’s by its nature reluctant to open the borders to competition from foreign imports.” 

In response to the butter blunder, the Norwegian government cut import tariffs by 80 percent -- which should allow foreign suppliers to more easily ship butter to Norway.

But believe it or not, a health trend has butter slipping off the shelves. Toronto’s City News says a low-carb diet fad is to blame.

“The soaring popularity of a fat-rich fad diet has been blamed … Norwegians have eaten up the country's entire stockpile of butter partly as the result of a ‘low-carb’ diet, which emphasizes a higher intake of fat, sweeping the Nordic nation.”

That’s what discovering the Atkins-esque diet will do. Now, folks are taking the butter problem into their own hands -- literally. Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten ran an article with a recipe and instructions on how to make butter, and CNN reports one man took it to an extreme.

“Authorities detained a Russian citizen Monday who they said was trying to smuggle 90 kilograms (200 pounds) of butter from Germany into Norway. Food safety authorities then warned people not to buy butter from strangers.”

Butter stocks are expected to replenish by late-January, but for this holiday season, many Norwegians will be left saying, “I can’t believe there’s no butter.”