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UN says new crown outbreak could trigger food crisis

UN says new crown outbreak could trigger food crisis

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations said that the global spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic caused labor shortages and supply chain disruptions, which could affect food security in some countries and regions.

  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said on its official website: "Unless we act quickly to protect the most vulnerable links, ensure the smooth flow of the global food supply chain, and mitigate the impact of the spread of the epidemic on the entire food system, we are at risk of imminent food crisis.

  The Food and Agriculture Organization expects bad conditions to occur in April and May.

  The agency says that it has found that food faces multiple challenges, such as food transportation and livestock farming. But as of now, the food supply is still sufficient, and the food industry has suffered a small impact. However, higher-value-added agricultural products are more likely to rise in price, such as perishable foods such as meat; major food supplies are now abundant.

  CNN reported on the 25th that in the week ending March 14, US egg sales surged 44% year-on-year; since the beginning of March, wholesale egg prices have risen 180%. Large-scale chain retailers such as the US Wal-Mart have recently started to restrict panic purchases such as eggs.

  Fitch Consulting of the United States believes that given the favorable climate conditions in key producing areas, the prospects for crop harvests from 2020 to 2021 are optimistic and the grain is relatively abundant.

  Fitch Consulting said in a research report that in developed markets, grain cultivation is usually on large farms with low population densities and is less susceptible to the epidemic. However, labor-intensive industries, such as palm oil plantations and processing industries such as fresh meat processing, are at higher risk of infection and require temporary closure measures.

  Sabah, Malaysia's largest palm oil producer, has ordered the closure of palm parks in three areas because some employees tested positive for the new crown virus.

  Fitch Consulting is concerned that despite the supply of certain types of food, there may be excessive hoarding or restrictions on transactions, which will raise the risk of a food crisis.

  US Consumer News and Business Channel reports that Vietnam has restricted rice exports, Russia has also stopped exports of finished grains, and Kazakhstan has suspended exports of wheat flour, buckwheat, sugar, sunflower oil and certain vegetables.

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