When haiti earthquake happened this caused small businesses to go down and since the affected ones needed supply this caused alot of shortages in the basic human needs.
Port-au-Prince has been devastated by the earthquake of January 12. However, as aftershocks continue to rattle the small Caribbean nation, there are similar aftershocks shaking up small businesses around the world that depend on Haitian goods. With factories flattened and the ports closed to all but incoming emergency shipments, global businesses are scrambling to find replacement suppliers for the fruits, vegetables, textiles and other commodities that are not getting out of the country.
U.S. importers of mangoes, Haiti’s number one commodity, are worried that the facilities where mangoes are processed have been destroyed. The mango season starts in April and continues through August; the fear is that necessary rebuilding may not be completed in time to salvage the fruit. This would impact the U.S. produce and restaurant markets. Importers are starting to look to other Caribbean nations, such as the Dominican Republic, to guarantee an uninterrupted supply.
Peppers, another major export crop, may also be in short supply. Brooks Pepperfire Foods, in Quebec, Canada is waiting to find out if it can expect its semi-annual shipment of goatpeppers, the main ingredient in one of its most popular products, Hurricane Mash. Although these specialty peppers are grown in other parts of the Caribbean, Pepperfire Foods claim the Haitian-grown peppers have a richer flavor essential for manufacturing of their hot and spicy products.
While many small business owners are discovering Haitian imports in short supply, others find that their regular customers, members of the Haitian community, are so upset about Haiti’s state of affairs, that they are not spending money.