A threat to food security

Keeping global food chains alive is crucial amid the COVID-19 crisis

31/03/2020, QU DONGYU

The COVID-19 pandemic is putting an enormous strain on public health systems around the world. Millions of people are in some form of quarantine. We know that the human toll will be high, and that efforts to turn the tide carry a heavy economic cost. To reduce the risk of an even greater toll — shortage of food for millions — the world must take immediate actions to minimise disruptions to food supply chains. A globally coordinated and coherent response is needed to prevent this public health crisis from triggering a food crisis in which people cannot find or afford food. For now, COVID-19 has not entailed any strain on food security, despite anecdotal reports of crowded supermarket sieges. While there’s no need to panic — there is enough supply of food in the world to feed everyone — we must prepare to face the enormous risk that food may not be made available where it is needed.

Disrupting food supply

The COVID-19 outbreak, with all the accompanying closures and lockdowns, has created logistical bottlenecks that ricochet across the long value chains of the modern global economy. Restrictions of movement, as well as basic aversion behaviour by workers, may impede farmers from farming and food processors (who handle most agricultural products) from processing. Shortage of fertilizers, veterinary medicines and other input could also affect agricultural production. Closures of restaurants and less frequent grocery shopping diminish demand for fresh produce and fisheries products, affecting producers and suppliers, especially smallholder farmers, with long-term consequences for the world’s increasingly urbanised population.

Uncertainty about food availability can induce policymakers to implement trade restrictive measures in order to safeguard national food security. Given the experience of the 2007-2008 global food price crisis, we know that such measures can only exacerbate the situation. Export restrictions put in place by exporting countries to increase food availability domestically could lead to serious disruptions in the world food market, resulting in price spikes and increased price volatility. In 2007-08, these immediate measures proved extremely damaging, especially for low-income food-deficit countries and to the efforts of humanitarian organisations to procure supplies for the needy and vulnerable.

Steps forward

We should all learn from our recent past and not make the same mistakes twice. Policymakers must take care to avoid accidentally tightening food supply conditions. While every country faces its own challenges, collaboration between governments and the full gamut of sectors and stakeholders is paramount. We are experiencing a global problem that requires a global response. We must ensure that food markets are functioning properly and that information on prices, production, consumption and stocks of food is available to all in real time. This approach will reduce uncertainty and allow producers, consumers, traders and processors to make informed decisions and to contain unwarranted panic behaviour in global food markets.

The health impacts of the unfolding pandemic on some of the poorest countries are still unknown. Yet, we can say with certainty that any ensuing food crisis as a result of poor policymaking will be a humanitarian disaster that we can avert. We already have 113 million people experiencing acute hunger; in sub-Saharan Africa, a quarter of the population is undernourished. Any disruptions to food supply chains will intensify both human suffering and the challenge of reducing hunger around the world. We must do everything possible to not let that happen. Prevention costs less. Global markets are critical for smoothening supply and demand shocks across countries and regions, and we need to work together to ensure that disruptions of food supply chains are minimised as much as possible. COVID-19 forcefully reminds us that solidarity is not charity, but common sense.

Qu Dongyu is Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Unavailability of alcohol sends addicts to hospital

From a maximum of five patients a day, the number has increased to 90

31/03/2020, K SHIVA SHANKER,HYDERABAD

Deprived of regular dose of alcohol, addicts are suffering from seizures and delirium.

The number of people visiting the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Erragadda, with severe alcohol withdrawal effects has seen a dramatic increase after the lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Usually, a maximum of five persons suffering from withdrawal effects visit IMH. However, the number touched 16 on Saturday, 25 on Sunday and 90 on Monday.

Along with other commercial establishments, liquor shops too have been shut for over a week as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

Severe effects

Deprived of their regular dose of alcohol, addicts have slipped from symptoms such as restlessness and trembling, to severe effects such as seizures and delirium. Though people have been holding on to the hope that exemption might be made for chronic alcoholics if a doctor prescribes daily consumption of certain amount of alcohol, psychiatrists debunked the idea.

They said no doctor will prescribe alcohol to patients, even as little as two or three pegs, as the body will only demand more.

Detoxification and de-addiction treatment was strongly suggested as the path to recovery. Liquor shops were closed in the State on March 22.

IMH’s superintendent M. Uma Shankar said that when an addict is denied alcohol, he initially suffers from effects such as trembling, anxiousness, sleeplessness at night and perspiration. He is unable to sit in one place.

“After two or three days, they might develop severe effects such as seizures and delirium — acute confusion where people will be disoriented about time, place, people,” Dr. Uma Shankar said.

Psychiatrists at IMH said they were also seeing people who were hallucinating in the past few days.

Detoxification process

When a person walks in with the problem, his blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration are checked. As chronic alcoholics do not eat on time, they suffer from hypoglycemia. Dehydration and weakness too are observed.

Fluids and detoxifying agents are given as part of treatment. People suffering from delirium and seizures are admitted.

Dr. Uma Shankar said the detoxification process lasts eight to 10 days. “Time for de-addiction treatment depends on whether the patient cooperates, and if there is family support,” he said.

Varsity staff donate to Relief Fund

31/03/2020,PUDUCHERRY

Vice-Chancellor of Annamalai University V. Murugesan has announced that all the teaching and non-teaching staff of the university will contribute a day's salary to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund to combat COVID-19.

LPG refills can only be booked 15 days after delivery

Oil companies have put in place a mechanism to prevent panic booking

31/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTCHENNAI

The IVRS system has been programmed to tell consumers that they will have to wait for their turn. K. V. Srinivasan

In an effort to prevent panic bookings of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refills, oil companies have put in place temporary measures that will be in force till the lifting of COVID-19 lockdown.

Now, if a consumer books and gets a 14.2kg domestic refill, he can make the next booking only after 15 days. The IVRS system that makes the bookings has been programmed to tell consumers that they will have to wait for their turn.

Distributors said that this would help prevent unnecessary cancellations. “Consumers book even if they have a spare cylinder on hand as they are fully dependent on cooking at home. Families at home means more cooking and snacks too, thereby additional LPG usage,” explained a distributor. Cancellation is also being allowed on the respective oil company's app after only one try.

Earlier, if the customer was not available or door was locked, the delivery person had to make three tries and the cancellation of the booking could be done only at the distributorship.

Oil industry sources explained that in place of say 85,000 bookings a day in Chennai region, they were getting 1.15 lakh bookings. This has also led to increase in backlog in supplies of about 3-5 days.

“We are unable to serve genuine customers,” said another distributor.

Police issue passes with QR code

31/03/2020, S. VIJAY KUMAR,   CHENNAI

The Chennai police, who initially started issuing passes manually, have now introduced an online system with QR code. People exempted from the prohibitory orders like those in government service, doctors, media persons and others seeking passes for exigencies were told to apply in person or send a mail to specialpasscovid19.gcp@ gmail.com.

Those applying online will be sent a link that will open a format to upload a photograph, contact particulars etc. While passes are being issued online, the police hit upon the idea of sending QR code passes.

A special team under the supervision of ACP (South) Prem Anand Sinha worked with Thinkinfinity, an IT firm, and launched the scheme.

“Now passes are also being issued online in QR code format. People can download the code on their mobile phone and show it to police at check points. Officials in the rank of Sub-Inspector and above can scan the QR code on their mobile phone and access all the details of the user. We have started issuing QR code passes since Saturday,” a police official said.

Veggies cheaper, meat prices soar

31/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

The T. Nagar vegetable market began functioning from a ground opposite Natesan Park on Monday. S.R. RAGHUNATHANS_R_Raghunathan

While prices of several vegetables dropped on Monday, meat was sold at an exorbitant rate in the city.

Transportation played a significant role in the availability of the produce and in determining the price, said traders. The retail market in T. Nagar near the Mambalam railway station was shifted to a playground in front of Dr. Natesan Park where around 25 makeshift shops were set up. This came as a relief to the consumers who were able to buy vegetables at low prices. The market will run from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. till the lockdown is lifted.

Shenbagam, a vegetable seller, said the price of vegetables were the same as in the market.

“I pay ₹200 to ₹300 to transport vegetables from Koyambedu market. I have made only that much today. There are no facilities or even a toilet here,” she said.

Murugan, a fruit seller, said the returns from his investment would be meagre.

At the Koyambedu wholesale market too, vegetables were sold for prices that were 10% lower on Monday. It received only 200-230 truckloads of vegetables against its normal 450 truckloads.

S. Chandran, president, Koyambedu Wholesale Vegetable Market Association, said most traders brought fewer trucks because there were not many takers.

Only 20%-30% of the retail traders from other places such as Kancheepuram, Arni and Arakkonam visited the market due to restrictions in vehicle movement.

Stock clearance

Most vegetables were sold at a nominal rate to reduce stock as sales was restricted to stipulated time.

The association had been providing free lunch for 1,000 labourers as food availability was a challenge because of lockdown.

Mutton prices hovered between ₹1,000 and ₹ 1,400 a kg and chicken between ₹200 and ₹230 a kg.

According to Jaikumar, a meat vendor at T. Nagar, logistics was a major hassle.

Saraswathi, who runs a meat stall on Boag Road, said: “We buy goats from Poonamallee. After the coronavirus scare, we are finding it difficult to get goats. We usually buy a goat for ₹7,500. Today, we shelled out ₹9,000 for a goat that weighed 8.5 kg.”

According to estimates, sales of poultry, mutton and fish market in Chennai alone was pegged at ₹2,500 crore. Nishanth Chandran, CEO, Tendercuts, said that mutton prices had gone up because of demand.

9,200 apply for emergency passes, only 207 get them

Some sought relief for frivolous reasons: Commissioner

31/03/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Looking for a way out: Applicants waiting in queue in front of the Chennai Police Commissioner’s office for emergency passes on Monday. R. RAGUR_Ragu

Over 9,200 people applied to Chennai police seeking emergency passes to travel outside the city but 207 passes were issued on Monday.

The police officers said most of the applicants did not come with proper reasons to travel on emergency grounds. For the second day on Monday, hundreds started gathering in front of the Police Commissioner’s office to enquire about the status of their application.

S. Ramachandran, a fisherman in Kasimedu, said, “A few fishermen from Thoothukdui came here for fishing two weeks ago and are stranded. So I came here to get emergency passes for their travel back to Thoothukudi. But we were denied pass after waiting for a day here.”

Hari of Kumbakonam said, “I came here for treatment to my mother who is a diabetic. She was discharged on March 24. But we could not go back. Now we have got the emergency pass.”

Special control room

A special control room of the city police has been functioning since Sunday to help people who need to travel due to emergencies. Those who seek passes for such purposes should produce necessary evidence and the required documents for identity with a letter of request.

The pass can be used by those who require to travel outside city to other parts of the State or a place outside the State, for emergencies like deaths, marriage or medical emergencies of their own family members only.

Deputy Commissioner of Police H. Jayalakshmi said, “More than 9,200 persons applied for emergency passes and 207 passes were issued after thorough scrutiny of application and documents produced. Some of them submitted frivolous reasons for emergency passes. In such cases, we are not issuing passes.”

Commissioner of Police A.K.Viswanathan said, “The emergency passes will be issued only to those who have emergencies like deaths, marriage or medical emergencies of their own family members only. Such passes will not be issued for any other reasons.”

Meanwhile, people who want to come to Chennai from other districts on emergency purposes can mail to ccwtnpolice@gmail at temporary control room in DGP’s office, Mylapore. Those who want to travel between the districts can approach this control room, according to a release.