The corona pandemic and droughts are affecting pasta producers in Italy.
A key ingredient is running out.
Soon there could be a noodle emergency.
Munich - Pasta is an extremely popular dish for many and should not be missing in the kitchen.
There is not just one type of pasta, but hundreds.
Thin, thick, round, angular, grooved, smooth, elongated, twisted, curled - the selection is almost endless.
A possible shortage of pasta would be a nightmare for lovers of the Italian specialty.
But a noodle emergency could soon be a reality.
The corona pandemic and droughts are severely affecting pasta producers in Italy.
The effects of this can be seen in rising prices and scarce supplies.
Corona and droughts mean that durum wheat is in short supply
Wealthy countries are also feeling the consequences.
As the market data specialist Nielsen found, in October in France alone the prices for pasta from the discounter rose by almost 20 percent compared to the same month last year.
But what are the reasons for the bad situation in the noodle market? The answer is mostly one: a shortage of durum wheat due to drought in Canada. The drought cut crop yields in half. In a market that has been “closely supplied for years”, this means more deficit, explains Peter Haarbeck, Managing Director of the Association of Grain, Milling and Starch Industry (VGMS), to the
picture
: “Due to the
poor harvest
in the main export country Canada, but also in France and other parts of the world, an estimated two to three million tons are missing on the world market in a market that has been closely supplied for years. "
Pasta hamstering at the beginning of the pandemic is apparently another reason the world may consume less pasta in the next few years.
In preparation for the lockdown, many have bought supplies.
The result: Durum wheat reserves have been emptied and are at a six-year low.
Scarce durum wheat: Germany also affected
The lack of supply of durum wheat is already affecting Germany.
According to Haarbeck, it will be possible to continue to enjoy pasta, but the supply will be visibly smaller.
"The pasta shelves in the supermarket will not be empty in the coming months," said the head of the association, Haarbeck.
"But the supply is already getting significantly smaller." According to the head of the association, the increased inflation is an additional burden on the manufacturers.
The now expensive prices for energy, transport and packaging are causing prices to rise.
Consumers would also feel this, so Haarbeck.
Is there a threat of a pasta emergency?
Negative forecasts for the future
In addition, forecasts for the future are not exactly looking good.
It won't get any better, experts say.
A clear warning came from analyst Severine Omnes-Maisons of the agricultural research institute Strategy Grains: "As far as the prices and scarcity of durum wheat are concerned, the worst may still be ahead."
At the moment it is still possible to find domestic wheat, says Vincenzo Divella, managing director of the pasta brand Divella, but he also predicts a more dramatic situation for the next few years.
The situation with durum wheat is "very serious".
Most recently, the European Commission lowered the forecast for the next harvest in Italy from 4.3 to 3.7 tons.
(bb)
