Onion shortage could trigger a global food crisis. Here’s what’s happening

By India Today Business DeskA severe shortage of onions in several countries could lead to a global food crisis, as the scarcity of the common household staple is now pushing up prices of other vegetables.

People in many countries have been forced to ditch the humble onion from recipes due to exorbitant prices, triggered by an acute shortage. The price rise initially impacted citizens in the Philippines as the shortage led to rampant onion smuggling, prompting the government to launch an investigation into cartels.

Onion shortage triggers crisis in some countries

A Bloomberg report suggests that onion prices are still soaring across the globe and fuelling inflation. This has prompted countries like Morocco, Turkey and Kazakhstan to take action and secure supplies.

The shortage and subsequent rise in onion prices is reportedly impacting the prices of other fruits and vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, apples and hampering their availability across the globe, according to the United Nations and the World Bank.

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The situation in the United Kingdom is bad as empty shelves have forced supermarkets to ration purchases of some fruit and vegetables, added the Bloomberg report. This is due to a weak harvest in southern Spain and North Africa.

The onion, a staple used in all sorts of global cuisines – from curries to salads, is amongst the most consumed vegetables in the world. Around 106 million metric tonnes are produced annually, which is equal to the combined production of carrots, turnips, chillies, peppers and garlic.

What has triggered the shortage?

The jump in prices is due to several factors, ranging from the adverse climate to geopolitical tensions. The disastrous floods that hit Pakistan last year, the frosts damaging stock piles in central Asia and Russia’s war in the Ukraine are some of the major reasons.

In North Africa, too, production of onions has been hit due to severe droughts and the higher cost of seeds and fertilizer. In Morocco, onion growers have been hit by poor weather.

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Onion shortage may trigger global food crisis

A shortage of onions in the Philippines has had a domino effect on the prices of other key household ingredients such as salt and sugar over the last few months. In fact, prices have increased so much that they briefly cost more than meat, and some flight attendants were caught smuggling them out of the Middle East.

In Kazakhstan, the skyrocketing prices of onions have forced authorities to use strategic stockpiles and its trade minister has urged people not to buy sacks of onions as there is a rush to secure supplies in local supermarkets. This is in addition to an export ban – a move that has also been introduced recently by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Even Azerbaijan is putting a limit on sales, while Belarus will license shipments, added the Bloomberg report.

The sharp rise in onion prices poses a major challenge as it could trigger an acute food crisis by pushing up costs of nutrient-rich vegetables and fruits, with UN data showing that more than 3 billion people cannot afford a healthy diet in the world.