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The coronavirus pandemic poses a real risk of food shortages on the world market, according to the FAO, WHO and WTO. The UN organisations fear a wave of stock retention by exporting countries. “Such reactions can contribute to altering the balance between food supply and demand, with a consequent increase in price volatility,” they say. Disruptions in international trade are already visible with “the slowdown in the movement of workers in the agricultural and food industry that is paralyzing many Western agricultures, and delays at borders for containers of goods”. Stressing the need for global cooperation to ensure the smooth flow of trade, the three multilateral organizations call for concrete measures to protect all links in the agri-food chain. “Consumers, especially the most vulnerable, must always be able to access food within their communities in a safe manner. We must ensure that our response to the COVID-19 pandemic does not inadvertently create unwarranted shortages of essential commodities, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition,” they advocate.
Source: FAO