Lockdowns whet appetite for organic food (China Daily)

China Daily published an article describing how the COVID-19 lockdowns have changed how consumers purchase foods. Online shopping is now the norm in Southeast Asia, as governments throughout the region have enforced lockdown and social distancing measures to check the spread of the virus. However, these measures have temporarily disrupted the supply of food from farms to cities and towns, People are buying local, while others have started to grow vegetables at home. In Southeast Asia, the rapid rise of the regional economy has failed to boost the agriculture sector. From 2000 to 2015, the region recorded annual GDP growth of more than 5 percent. According to IFPRI, during this period, the agriculture sector grew by only 3 percent, however.