Grocery stores in some parts of the U.S. are expected to run out of certain perishable goods Easter weekend because of a Mexican truckers’ blockade that has stranded millions of dollars worth of fresh produce.
China’s lockdowns to contain the country’s worst Covid outbreak since early 2020 have battered the economy, stalling production in major cities like Shanghai and adding pressure to global inflation.
Europe’s push to wean itself off Russian natural gas is sparking billions of dollars in new commitments toward building a market for low-carbon hydrogen.
A Mexican truck blockade at a key Texas bridge is diverting U.S.-bound cargoes to far-flung crossings, worsening shipping snarls and raising the specter of delivery disruptions for everything from avocados to auto parts.
Logistics experts are busy considering ways in which their supply chains can be redesigned so as to avoid the kind of congestion that has brought international goods movement to a virtual halt at major ports. But in the meantime, the system is crying out for some form of immediate relief.
With the world economy already shackled by Covid-related shortages and now reeling from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prices of such basics as bread, meat and cooking oils have jumped across the world, sending shock waves through the commodity markets and damaging the global food system.
Cases are at a record in Shanghai, now the epicenter of China’s worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic, and the lockdown has been extended indefinitely.