Tipping Point Quick Hits (4.7.22)

Global Food Supply Now at Risk

As I mentioned in yesterday’s Tipping Point Show, world leaders and industry representatives are beginning to warn the public about a coming food crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine will have a devastating effect on the food supply.

This article spells out a few of the reasons why:

Russia and Ukraine account for around 29% of global wheat exports, 19% of global corn supplies, and 80% of the world’s sunflower oil exports. This reliance has many traders worried that any further military force could trigger a massive scramble by food importers to replace supplies normally sourced from the Black Sea region. 

Russia is also one of the world’s biggest exporters of all three major groups of fertilizers.

Ukraine is a major producer of wheat, but the ongoing war—which started in late winter and has continued into the early spring—is likely to ensure a poor spring planting. Russia also grows wheat, but the worldwide sanctions will keep it from exporting that wheat to the rest of the world. Shortages of grain are expected to contribute to higher inflation.