COVID-19-related trade restrictions on rice and wheat could drive up prices and increase hunger

Some governments have responded to alarms about possible COVID-19-related food shortages much as consumers would: By trying to hoard food. A number of countries have limited exports of key staple food commodities to protect domestic supplies. Timothy Sulser and Shahnila Dunston assess the possible impacts of such export constraints for the two most affected markets, rice and wheat. They conclude that international rice markets are particularly sensitive to such restrictions by large exporters"”modeling shows they could significantly boost global prices and push millions of poor rice consumers into hunger."” Johan Swinnen , series co-editor and IFPRI Director General.