The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Links published an article stating protectionist policies are most pronounced in the world’s food supply chains, where they risk exacerbating global poverty. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 24 countries implemented export bans covering over 30 food items including ingredients such as wheat, sugar, and oils, according to research by IFPRI (see IFPRI tool, Food & Fertilizer Export Restrictions Tracker). These policies have affected over 17 percent of global calories traded. Indonesia’s announcement in April that the country – the world’s biggest palm oil producer – was to ban all exports of the oil to offset domestic prices, albeit temporarily, sparked concerns this would trigger widespread supply shocks. Meanwhile, Malaysia imposed a ban on chicken exports, causing disruptions in Singapore which sources a third of its chicken from the country. Such policies have a disproportionate impact on the world’s poorest, said David Laborde, a senior research fellow at IFPRI and leader of its globalization and markets project. “The poorest countries, which often depend extensively on imports for their food security, are overexposed to these policies due to the type of products targeted,” he said.
