As the world keeps on dealing with the COVID-19 situation, the UN has come out with a warning that the measures taken against the virus could cause global food shortages. More locally, in the US, apple retail sales get a boost and British officials ask their citizens to help pick fruit and vegetables.

In Africa, South African exporters are financial hardships due to the chaotic global trade while Rwanda reports that agricultural activities continue during the lockdown. In the small nation of Bhutan, the Agriculture ministry puts import restrictions on produce while in Mumbai, the onion auctions are suspended at Lasalgaon. This, and much more, in today’s Coronavirus update.

UN warns: COVID-19 measures could cause global food shortage
Protectionist measures by national governments during the coronavirus crisis could provoke food shortages around the world, the UN’s food body has warned. Harvests have been good and the outlook for staple crops is promising, but a shortage of field workers brought on by the virus crisis and a move towards protectionism – tariffs and export bans – mean problems could quickly appear in the coming weeks, Maximo Torero, chief economist of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, stated.

“The worst that can happen is that governments restrict the flow of food,” he said. “All measures against free trade will be counterproductive. Now is not the time for restrictions or putting in place trade barriers. Now is the time to protect the flow of food around the world.”

Source: The Guardian  - 26^th March 2020

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