After the potassium iodide pill craze and the queues at the gas stations, a new wave of mass panic followed in Romania: recently, the price of edible oil has doubled or even tripled, because people bought very large amounts for fear that, because of the conflict in Ukraine, they might no longer find the product in stores. Ukraine, Romanias neighbor, was, before the moment of Russia’s aggression against it, Europe’s main supplier of crude edible oil, and since the outbreak of the war, its price has doubled. The Romanian economy minister, Florin Spătaru, has announced that controls are starting at the edible oil traders and distributors. He has given assurances that there is no reason to panic, and that Romania has sufficient food reserves.
Florin Spătaru: There is no reason to worry that we will no longer have stocks of edible oil and we should not react to the doubling or tripling of prices that have no economic justification.
Florin Spătaru is convinced that these controls will defuse the so-called ‘edible oil crisis’, just as happened in the case of the fuel craze. The agriculture minister, Adrian Chesnoiu, stated, after new discussions with the representatives of the production, processing, and marketing chains, that Romania is not running the risk of a food crisis, because it produces enough to cover its domestic consumption, including in terms of sunflower oil.
Romania ranks first in the European Union in terms of sunflower production and has also been the largest exporter of seeds at EU level in the last five years. The conclusion of the talks with the representatives of the farmers, of the edible oil producers and of the big commercial networks is that, until the new harvest, Romania has sufficient stocks for the domestic production of sunflower oil.
Adrian Chesnoiu: “We produce enough food and agri-food products so that we can be independent in terms of foodstuffs. Now, Romania is not running any risk of a food crisis or of major imbalances, because it produces enough food for the consumption needs of the population.
In turn, the farmers representative, Alina Gheorghiţă, underlined that the vegetable production exceeds the need of the country, which, in her opinion, should increase the peoples psychological comfort and dispel fears of an edible oil shortage. George Bădescu, representing the Association of Large Commercial Networks, has pointed out that buying thoughtfully eliminates the risk of foodstuffs expiring at home. He has recommended consumers to buy moderately and avoid food waste. Rumors in times of war are dangerous, and the authorities are again calling on the citizens to get informed only from official sources, in order to avoid unclear situations. (LS)
