A senior lecturer from Cardiff University has warned that there could be a worldwide food shortage in the coming months as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
As reported by the BBC, Dr Ludivine Petetin said: “The problems is, as soon as you have a disruption in the supply chain this has an impact on the availability of food on the shelves.
“Of course we still see rice on the shelves at the moment, but in a few month’s time, we may start to see the consequences of having these restrictions placed,” she said.
“Those countries have done this to ensure stability in their countries so that people are food secure but, in the medium to short term, this could lead to food shortages for us and a food crisis worldwide.”
“The pandemic has brought the importance of maintaining UK food security into sharp focus and it is essential that those businesses producing our most essential commodity are both supported and recognised in the short and longer term.”
Dr Petetin added: “Buying local is really important. It reduces food miles, [it has a better] environmental impact, it also involves less processing, so food is more nutritious.
“What the crisis is showing is how resilient small shops and small family farms are, and I think this is something for the farming community to be proud of.
“They are diversifying, but they need to be supported and at the moment when coming out of the [EU] Common Agricultural Policy, and Wales is looking at its future vision for its agriculture, it’s important to put an emphasis on small family farms.”
This comes after the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) outlined the urgent need to safeguard domestic food security and primary producers in a letter to Future Generations Commissioner, Sophie Howe.
In the letter, FUW president Glyn Roberts stressed that it is essential that the food procurement process does not place price above all other factors and functions in a way which protects domestic food security, preserves the food supply chain and ensures the longer term viability of our food producers and their businesses.
He said: “The current Covid-19 pandemic has placed significant pressure on the farming industry, with a varied impact on food supply chains. Whilst panic buying and other factors have led to significant shortages of certain foodstuffs, sales of produce through cafes and other outlets have plummeted. This has led to major price cuts for many of our red meat and dairy producers.
“The pandemic has brought the importance of maintaining UK food security into sharp focus and it is essential that those businesses producing our most essential commodity are both supported and recognised in the short and longer term.”
He added: “Whilst the FUW appreciates that increasing and promoting domestic food procurement is not a silver bullet to current industry problems, we believe that it is essential that the UK Government recognise our key workers and lead by example when procuring foodstuffs in order to protect the longer-term viability and sustainability of those family farms and businesses which are vital in ensuring that the UK has a secure food supply.”
