Is there a proof of the NAND Crisis?

[Foomate]

Is there a proof that there really is shortage, and not based on the manufacturer's words alone, but an unbiased investigation conducted?
Maybe it was just easy to increase the prices all of a sudden and try to maintain them at this new price level for more profit? It's not that I don't want the companies to make profit, but it's just that I was actually sure that since all companies have their manufacturing plants running for years, and that NAND is made of sand (silicon?) I thought they'd improve production thus making more and still earning the desired profit (by improving, and not increasing price)
I am no where near expert and haven't got much idea about what's really going on, but that's why I am asking you to tell me when you think.
I just thought of it because last year I was sure I will upgrade all the PC's here to SSDs but now it's just too high

 

[Supahos]

You do realize there are enough manufacturers that one of them would undercut the rest and still make money if this was all made up and that would continue until prices dropped again. Think about it even 2 years ago most new builds didn't "have" to have a ssd. Now I've not suggested any build over $500 without one in a year