What is Food Protectionism and Why Should We Care?

India has stopped exporting wheat. Indonesia banned the export of palm oil in April. Argentina banned the export of soybean oil and soybean meal. Egypt has banned the export of many staple foods including vegetable oil, maize, wheat, flour, lentils, beans and pasta. This is food protectionism.

Food protectionism occurs when governments block or change the rules for the trading…