COVID-19 already scares people around the globe. Besides the intrinsic threat that the new virus represents, now, Chinese officials warned that the ongoing coronavirus pandemic might lead to a global food crisis. Reports from all over the world talk about an international drop in agricultural supply chains and trading.
That happens because the majority of the countries affected by the virus halted grain exports, as per sources. China’s deputy agriculture minister, Yu Kangzhen, said that “the fast-spreading global epidemic has brought huge uncertainty on international agriculture trade and markets.”
“If the epidemic continues to spread and escalate, the impact on international food trade and production will definitely worsen and might trigger a new round of food crisis,” Yu added, cited by Reuters.
According to the Chinese officials, a new global food crisis could emerge due to the drastic measures some countries have taken in their struggle to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
A new global food crisis might come due to coronavirus outbreak, but not in China
While the threat of a crisis is high in some regions of the world, which are affected by COVID-19, China’s Agriculture Minister Han Changfu is positive that China will manage. He argued that China can secure agricultural products and grain reserves.
Even though China almost contained the national coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese officials fear to import coronavirus from overseas. Although the threat exists, Minister Changfu underlined the capabilities of his country to counteract a possible food crisis.
However, Chinese people are now fighting another threat – African swine fever. This disease already affected pig herd across China this year. In March, the Chinese official reported an increase of 40% in the cases of African swine fever in the country.
But, China apart, other countries might face some problems. Accordingly, the coronavirus outbreak might cause a global food crisis, but it might not be as threatening as it seems at first glimpse.
