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Thailand, Canada, and India are experiencing difficulties in exporting their goods due to a surge in demand for shipping containers, which has led to a shortage. This shortage has made it more profitable to return empty containers to China than to refill them, leading to food supply issues in Asian markets and potential price increases for consumers. The high cost of transporting goods from China to the US compared to the opposite journey has exacerbated the problem, with empty containers making up three out of four returns at the port of Los Angeles. The situation is affecting various commodities, including rice, peas, lentils, sugar, and coffee, with some buyers delaying or halting purchases altogether.