Slovakia is not self-sufficient as to its food supplies and has no strategic plan which would solve a possible food crisis. The responsible authorities would thus not be able to secure sufficient nourishment for citizens if neighbouring countries closed their borders for a longer period of time. Slovakia imports almost all types of foodstuff e.g. beef, pork, potatoes, vegetables and fruit, milk and dairy products.
International conventions, signed also by Slovakia, secure everybody the right to sufficient nourishment. Despite this fact, Slovakia does not have a plan for ensuring its self-sufficiency in food supplies.
"Overnight, it might be the case that borders would be closed, cutting off the free movement of goods and suddenly causing a lack of supplies of basic components for food preparation or no food stuffs not produced in Slovakia," says Jana Vernhartova, the director of the Slovak Food Chamber. During the first hit of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring this year, a shortage of yeast was recorded. Jana Vernhartova continues: "We are dependent on importing this component from the Czech Republic and Hungary. There used to be a factory producing yeast in Slovakia but it was closed down. If any country excludes at least one commodity, we are not able to secure the production of bread, buns and rolls."
After some food commodities sold out in the period of March - April 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture signed a memorandum with some grocery retailers. "In the event of an emergency, an emergency measure will be taken to secure sufficient food supplies in stores," said Agriculture Minister Jan Micovsky for the public RTVS. Stores, however, point out that in the case of closed borders, a shortage of supplies will occur. "It's up to the state to ensure sufficiency in food supplies," said Martin Krajcovic, the chair of the Slovak Modern Retail Alliance of Modern Trade.
The administration of State Material Reserves stores wheat, rice, lentils and frozen meat. These are supposed to resolve successfully a food supply crisis. As the authority informed RTVS, the amount of these supplies is currently secret. According to the English version of the brochure currently available on the webpage of the Administration of State Material Reserves, it "stores basic food in amounts which ensure nutrition for the Slovak population for at least 30 days."
For some time already, The United Nations have been suggesting to governments to prepare for a food crisis that does not necessarily have to be caused by COVID-19. Slovak farmers have been stating that investing into its own agriculture and food production would pay off. They claim that the country's soil and climate condition secure its independency.
Annually, The United Nation presents a food security global index assessing 113 countries. In the year 2019, the Slovak Republic came in 49th place. Out of the 26 participating European countries, it came 23rd, lagging behind all of its neighbours.
Source: RTVS
