Onion shortage is a new "chapter" of the global food crisis

Fresh Onion

Vegetables

Published Feb 26, 2023

Tridge summary

The backbone of crisis nutrition Lalaine Basa will often buy 1kg of onions to make spring rolls at her foodservice business north of Manila. But now, she has to change her recipe so that only half of the onions are needed. The reason is that onion prices are increasing sharply in the Philippines. In the Moroccan capital Rabat, Ms. Fatima no longer buys onions and tomatoes because they are too expensive. Instead, she used artichokes to cook tagine. “The market is sold out,” she said.

Original content

The experiences of these two women more than 12,000 kilometers apart show that the global food crisis is taking an alarming turn: it threatens the world's consumption of key ingredients in nutrition. . Wheat and cereal prices have fallen in recent months, alleviating concerns about the accessibility of these two staples. However, a combination of other factors is shaking up the fruit and vegetable market - the backbone of a healthy, sustainable diet, of which the most important part is onions. Prices are skyrocketing, driving inflation higher and prompting countries to act to secure supplies. Morocco and Turkey have had to suspend some exports, just as Kazakhstan did. The Philippines also ordered an investigation into groups of companies controlling prices. In February 2023, the United Nations and the World Bank warned that export restrictions not only on onions, but also carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and apples, hindered the supply worldwide. In Europe, many empty shelves have ...

Source: Vietstock