The resumption of food stockpiling has been a response to a series of global upheavals: the pandemic, growing global anxiety due to the war in Ukraine, as well as recent conflicts in Gaza, Venezuela, and Iran. Additionally, climate change and the use of trade as a tool for pressure also contribute to this process. This phenomenon highlights the deep disagreements in contemporary economic approaches.
Government officials argue that in times of crisis, one cannot rely solely on the market, and food should be viewed as a strategic resource alongside energy materials. However, economists and representatives of trade agencies warn that mass stockpiling in various countries may lead to a reduction in global supply, rising prices, and negative consequences for the least affluent countries.
“After the Cold War, we were the only ones who maintained reserves because you never know what might happen,” shares Miika Ilomäki, an emergency preparedness specialist at Finland's National Supply Agency. Currently, Norway and Sweden have begun to follow Finland's example.
