Fab Foodie
Guru
The pandemic taught us much about JIT supply chains, the interconnectedness of things and events, the issues of global trade vs. localisation etc. If James Burke could remake 'Connections' he'd have a field day.
War in Ukraine has thrown-up a lot of other unpleasant trade scenarios. We're all familiar with the biggies of Oil and Gas of course, but as sanctions and the trade war progresses more issues are crawling from the woodwork. Precious metals from Russia for steel and automotive production etc.
In my own world of big-food we see shortages of phosphates from Ukraine and other minor ingredients, however the biggie will be wheat. Ukraine is often called the 'Bread Basket of Europe' There will be no crop sown this year and I'm assuming that Russian wheat will be persona-non-grata for most of Europe and the west. That makes for hell of a shortage. Climate change may also diminish yields in other regions. Price is already rocketing and big-co's will already have secured volumes from there prime suppliers.
Wheat is such a basic commodity for so many in the world (N. Africa is already short of bread - their staple food), at what point will we give-up eating cake so that others may eat bread? At what point will I find putting breadcrumbs on bits of chicken morally reprehensible (OK, many already think that). There's also grain for cattle-feed so we can all have a nice steak.
Wheat shortages will also lead to demands on other crops to fill some of the gaps - maize, Soya, barley, rice etc. leading to further shortages.
EDIT: Fertiliser shortages willalso impact crop yields further, to add insult to injury....
That's a bit about my area of operation, but am certain other NACA's will be seeing difficulties in their own personal and professional spheres....
Here's the place to write about them.
War in Ukraine has thrown-up a lot of other unpleasant trade scenarios. We're all familiar with the biggies of Oil and Gas of course, but as sanctions and the trade war progresses more issues are crawling from the woodwork. Precious metals from Russia for steel and automotive production etc.
In my own world of big-food we see shortages of phosphates from Ukraine and other minor ingredients, however the biggie will be wheat. Ukraine is often called the 'Bread Basket of Europe' There will be no crop sown this year and I'm assuming that Russian wheat will be persona-non-grata for most of Europe and the west. That makes for hell of a shortage. Climate change may also diminish yields in other regions. Price is already rocketing and big-co's will already have secured volumes from there prime suppliers.
Wheat is such a basic commodity for so many in the world (N. Africa is already short of bread - their staple food), at what point will we give-up eating cake so that others may eat bread? At what point will I find putting breadcrumbs on bits of chicken morally reprehensible (OK, many already think that). There's also grain for cattle-feed so we can all have a nice steak.
Wheat shortages will also lead to demands on other crops to fill some of the gaps - maize, Soya, barley, rice etc. leading to further shortages.
EDIT: Fertiliser shortages willalso impact crop yields further, to add insult to injury....
That's a bit about my area of operation, but am certain other NACA's will be seeing difficulties in their own personal and professional spheres....
Here's the place to write about them.
Last edited:
