Agriculture chiefs say virus measures should not put staples out of reach

DUBAI/RIYADH－Agriculture ministers from the G20 countries agreed at a virtual meeting on Tuesday that emergency measures to stop the spread of the new coronavirus must not upend global food supply chains.

The meeting came as coronavirus lockdowns across the world slow global food supply chains, leaving some farmers unable to get their produce to consumers and major producing countries restricting exports.

"We agree that emergency measures in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic must be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary, and that they do not create unnecessary barriers to trade or disruption to global food supply chains, and are consistent with World Trade Organization rules," a final statement by the group said.

Also on Tuesday, the United Nations warned that the pandemic could trigger famine in already vulnerable countries as the worldwide freeze on commerce sent shock waves through financial markets.

In the G20 meeting, Mari Pangestu, a senior World Bank official, also warned against import barriers and export restrictions, urging global cooperation to avert food crises.

Ministers said they would guard against any measures leading to excessive food price volatility in global markets or threats to food supply.

Staple grain supplies are plentiful globally but some producing countries have indicated they would limit their sales abroad to prioritize domestic supply.

The limitations came as major food importers strive to beef up their own reserves by increasing purchases from abroad.

On Tuesday, the agriculture ministers also cautioned against food waste, saying it could "exacerbate food insecurity and nutrition risks and economic loss".

A 'wake-up call'

Lockdowns have hit some farmers hard as demand from restaurants and other buyers vanish, and trashing crops has in some cases become more economically viable than paying for labor and transport to sell it.

"The coronavirus crisis is a wakeup call for the whole world－joint action and solidarity are what is needed at this time," UAE Minister of State for Food Security Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri said at the meeting, adding that global food supply chains were facing "serious disruptions".

The UN's bleak warning over possible famines came as deaths from the virus surpassed 174,000 worldwide, with governments anxiously trying to chart a path out of the unprecedented global health and economic emergency.

The economic impact of the pandemic could lead to a "humanitarian catastrophe", with the number of people suffering from acute hunger projected to nearly double to 265 million this year, the UN's World Food Programme warned.

"We are on the brink of a hunger pandemic," WFP director David Beasley told the UN Security Council in a video conference.

Agencies - Xinhua