Copa-Cogeca, the European farmers’ association, said the energy price crisis could lead to shortages of fruit and vegetables as more and more companies have to close or reduce their production capacity due to rising electricity costs. The secretary general of Copa-Cogeca explained that the refrigeration system consumes a lot of energy. There could be food shortages and higher prices to compensate for rising production costs.
World food prices have soared to record highs after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, triggering chaos in the global grain trade and adding pressure to a food system already traumatized by the COVID-19 epidemic.
The United Nations (UN) index shows that although world food prices have fallen for the fifth month in a row, they are still much higher than in the same period last year.
A statement from Copa-Cogeca said that more and more European agri-food companies are struggling to maintain their operations. It also called for an energy allocation plan focused on the food sector to prevent the situation from worsening.