Introduction
As the world continues to grapple with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, one of the most concerning issues is the potential for food shortages. With the closure of restaurants, the disruption of supply chains, and the increased demand for groceries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for grocery stores to keep up with the demand. This article from Eat This Not That will discuss the potential for produce shortages at the grocery store and what you can do to ensure you have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
You May Start Seeing Less Produce at the Grocery Store Because of This
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, grocery stores are facing a unique challenge: how to keep their shelves stocked with fresh produce. With the demand for food increasing, and the supply chain being disrupted, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for stores to keep up with the demand.
The problem is twofold. First, the pandemic has caused a disruption in the supply chain, making it difficult for stores to get the produce they need. Second, the demand for food has increased significantly, as people are stocking up on groceries in preparation for potential lockdowns.
This has led to a shortage of produce in many stores, with some stores even having to limit the amount of produce customers can buy. This is a problem that is likely to get worse in the coming weeks, as the pandemic continues to spread.
So what can you do to make sure you get the produce you need? Here are some tips:
- Shop early in the day. Many stores are limiting the amount of produce they can stock, so it’s best to shop early in the day when the shelves are most likely to be full.
- Buy frozen or canned produce. Frozen and canned produce can be just as nutritious as fresh produce, and it’s often cheaper and easier to find.
- Grow your own produce. If you have the space, consider growing your own produce. This is a great way to ensure you have access to fresh, healthy produce.
- Buy in bulk. Buying in bulk can help you save money and ensure you have enough produce to last you through the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a lot of disruption in the food supply chain, and it’s likely that we’ll continue to see shortages of produce in the coming weeks. But by following these tips, you can make sure you have access to the produce you need.
It’s no secret that the food industry has recently been hit hard by several immeasurable forces, resulting in what publications, including The New York Times and Time Magazine, have referred to as a ‘Global Food Crisis’. Inflation, rising energy prices, and supply chain delays coupled with effects from the war in Ukraine have caused food prices to hit an all-time high—forecasted to increase 5% this year compared to 2021—and contributed to countless scarcities on grocery store shelves.
Now, the latest cause for concern lies in the shortage and soaring costs of fertilizer and it could affect the produce section.
Similar to the world’s wheat supply, which relies heavily on exports from Ukraine and Russia, fertilizer supplies are also dependent on Russia’s shipments. The country and bordering Belarus, are major producers of urea, potash, and ammonium nitrate—all key chemical compounds used in fertilizer—as well as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium-based fertilizers.
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With sanctions now in place within both countries, and a growing list of shipping companies halting services to and from Russia, trade of the good is limited and the market is already feeling the effects of unprecedented prices. Costs for several types of fertilizers have already more than doubled compared to this time last year, also influenced by the growing cost of natural gas which is used in production.
“All of this is a double whammy, if not a triple whammy,” global head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, Bert Melek, told CNBC. “We have geopolitical risk, higher input costs and basically shortages.”
Elevated prices and less available fertilizers trigger an undesirable snowball effect which will inevitably result in limited produce amounts. As farmers start to use the hot commodity more sparingly to save money and simply due to lack of access, crop yields will likely decrease. This adds to another existing concern of climate change’s impact on yields. Farmers may also deploy a strategy of rotating in more crops which require lower fertilizer levels.
“Larger producers may be able to weather the storm of higher fertilizer prices, but smallholder and family-run farms who cannot afford higher costs can be hit hard by market volatility of these key products,” Svein Tore Holsether, CEO and president of Yara International, a major producer of nitrogen fertilizer, told Fortune.
If climbing prices do lead to the closures of some smaller production farms, food items will become that much harder to find across the world’s grocery stores.
With other factors at play, food cost increases are already in motion. And, with the additional impacts from the war, the USDA now predicts a 4.5 – 5.5% increase in all food items during 2022. However, since many farmers purchase fertilizer far in advance, consumers may not start to see the full effects of this shift until after the upcoming harvest season and later into 2022.
Receive more information about the war’s impact, specifically in The United States, with President Biden Warns ‘Real’ Grocery Shortages Are Coming.
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