Romania Bans Grain Exports, Fueling Fears Of A Food Crisis

Nobody can predict what the economic crisis which will follow the medical one will look like. Moreover, nobody can predict if and when a food crisis will appear. Nor the scale of it.

Romania is the first country to ban its grain exports. The military ordinance mentions not only wheat, but also barley, oats, rice, soybeans, wheat flour, bakery and pastry products, biscuits, seed oil and sugar. More details on all the measures taken by Romanian Authorities in order to fight the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19, you can find by accessing the link.

Romania is the second-biggest wheat shipper in the European Union and this move makes it the first from a country to protect its food supplies. By cutting-off the grain exports, Romania fuels fears worldwide about a potential food crisis.

As a European Union member state, Romania didn’t forbid exports to the member states. Yet, the buyers have to certify that the grains imported from Romania are not going to be sold to other countries and that they are meant to fulfill the internal demand.

Is a food crisis coming? We really can’t tell, but it is highly possible for Romania’s example to be followed by other grain-exporting countries as well.