I pretty good friends with the gal who run the Floral department at our local HyVee grocery store, Helium was almost impossible to get recently, the last time they got an order it was 300 a tank,, im talking the typical cylinders you would think of, not a bulk tank, so I was BSing with her with Valentines day coming up I asked if they had the gold gas, she replied YIP! just got 4 tanks, at !!!!!!!! 700 !!!!!!!!! dollars a tank!!!

I about fell over!

we as hot air balloonists will use toy balloons and set them off to check the wind directions aloft. needless to say we aren't doing that.

Been an issue for years, both price and availability. Let's stop using it for party decorations.

Or other Larger Balloons...

Ukraine was a large producer.

seems chinese have plenty of .... gas....

Yep! We tried to get some balloons for my Father in-law's birthday a few years back.....none to be had inflated.

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I was a welding gas sub-dealer for a welding supply company. I carried a 380 CF Helium cylinder Think the 5' tall, 12" diameter oxy cylinder size) at my shop for many years that a few people would use for balloons at parties and such, even had a local roller skating rink that usually got one or two of those cylinders a year. Back then that big cylinder cost around $100. Then suddenly around 15 years ago, the price shot up, then shortly after that, I couldn't get Helium cylinders any more. Even getting Helium mixed welding gas was hard, and expensive.

At that time I was told there was only one helium source in the USA, the reason for the price increase and then the lack of availability was because the 2nd source in the USA was closing because of a fire at their facility and they didn't plan to reopen. So it would be pretty easy to believe most helium comes from outside of this country now.

ain't that the stuff that makes one talk funny ?

Why yes it is! The price alone these days would make you talk funny. Maybe you might want to check the price and let the shock make your voice funny.