[9급 국가직 영어 2015년 13번]

America gets 97 % of its limes from Mexico, and a combination of bad weather and disease has sent that supply plummeting and prices skyrocketing. A 40-lb. (18 kg) box of limes that cost the local restaurateurs about $ 20 late last year now goes for $ 120. In April, the average retail price for a lime hit 56 cents, more than double the price last year. Across the U.S., bars and restaurants are rationing their supply or, like Alaska Airlines, eliminating limes altogether. In Mexico, the value spike is attracting criminals, forcing growers to guard their limited supply of "green gold" from drug cartels. Business owners who depend on citrus are hoping that spring growth will soon bring costs back to normal.