Food Security Fears Are Starting to Threaten Asian Rice Exports
- Vietnam has temporarily halted sales of new rice shipments
- Myanmar may cut exports in order to prevent local shortages
Workers wearing protective masks unload sacks of rice inside a National Food Authority warehouse in Valenzuela, Metro Manila, the Philippines, on March 26.
Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Panic buying at supermarkets and hoarding have raised fears over food supplies, and governments for their part are acutely aware that keeping everyone fed at affordable prices is crucial for political stability.
Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine have already announced plans to limit wheat exports, and in Asia worries over making sure there’s enough food for everyone have now spread to rice, the main staple for billions of people in the region. China and India are the biggest global producers and consumers.