December: Agar shortage revealed
Merck and Thermo Fisher Scientific confirmed an agar shortage in the market but both said they were working hard on the issue.
Thermo Fisher Scientific temporarily stopped selling two agars due to a shortage in the seaweed used to make them.
Merck stopped sales of it as a raw material until further notice. It said the market may experience price increases for selected media as a result of strong fluctuations in the raw material price.
Commenting on the shortage in supply of agar across the industry Lab M said media manufactures are working hard to reduce the impact upon microbiology labs. The firm said, for the moment, it will not be withdrawing sales of any raw materials and will manage orders closely on a best endeavours basis.