Coronavirus is upending agriculture, and poorer countries with big populations are perhaps the most vulnerable
An agricultural worker cleans carrot crops of weeds amid an outbreak of the coronavirus disease at a farm near Arvin, California, U.S., April 3, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
In Florida, a lack of Mexican migrant laborers means watermelon and blueberry growers face the prospect of rotting crops. Similar shortages of workers in Europe mean vegetable farms are missing the window to plant. He can’t even give his strawberries away: With stay-home orders in place, few villagers ventured out from their homes when he offered them the berries for free, he said.
The country’s northern grain bowl relies on labor from eastern parts of the country, but workers have left the farms because of the lockdown. [L4N2BO25E] “In around 15 days time, the blueberry season will peak until mid-May,” said manager Francisco Sanchez, a manager at Spanish growers association Onubafruit. “We need a big concentration of labor then.”
In Brazil - the world’s top exporter of soybeans, coffee, and sugar - farm lobby CNA said the industry faces a range of problems, including challenges hiring truck drivers to haul crops and a shortage of spare parts for farm equipment. “The containers are tough to get right now,” said Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association, a U.S.-based trade group. “If a company needs five containers, they’ll find they can get one.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump uses Defense Production Act to streamline ventilator supply chain for manufacturersPresident Donald Trump invoked again the Defense Production Act on Thursday to streamline the supply chain for manufacturers can speed up production as the number of coronavirus cases in the nation rises.
Read more »
Scramble for supplies to fight coronavirus strains global solidaritySolidarity among nations battling the coronavirus pandemic is tested by desperation for masks, gowns, respirators and other medical supplies.
Read more »
Looking for a freezer to store your coronavirus stockpile? You're not alone in being frozen outAs Americans stock up on food to get through the coronavirus lockdown, freezers have become one of the nation's most sought-after — and scarce — supplies.
Read more »
Coronavirus live updates: White House expected to recommend wearing masks in publicAll the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic as global cases pass 1,000,000.
Read more »