"Two

 

riders were approaching

and the wind began to howl..."

which facilitates and or makes worse:

Global food prices rise to highest ever levels after Russian invasion

"The Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted Black Sea exports of crucial commodities from a region that had been producing more than a quarter of the world’s wheat exports. 

The war has helped push cereal prices up 17% over the past month with the closure of ports throttling wheat and maize exports from Ukraine. Russian exports have also been slowed by financial and shipping problems."

(Think there might be a reason The Russians went after Mariupol?)

"World wheat prices soared by 19.7% during March, while maize prices posted a 19.1% month-on-month increase, hitting a record high along with those of barley and sorghum.

The FAO said these problems were likely to persist, leading to higher prices, lower stocks and uncertainty in the wheat market in the future.

“The higher price quotations are particularly concerning for countries already struggling with other crisis, including conflict, natural disasters, economic conditions or, as it is often the case, some combinations of those,” said an FAO spokesperson, adding that countries with low incomes and food shortages may struggle to pay higher prices."

“Many of these countries are in north Africa and the Middle East where wheat often accounts for as much as 35% of total calories consumed and a majority of the wheat is imported, much from the Black Sea,” he said."

"The Black Sea region has also been a crucial source for sunflower oil and the limiting of exports has meant vegetable oil prices rising by almost a quarter since February. Prices also rose for palm, soy and rapeseed oils because of increased demand."

"Earlier this week, the World Food Programme said the effect of blocked exports would hit several countries in east Africa, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan – countries already experiencing severe drought and conflict."

"WFP said the price of local foods had risen a quarter, on average, compared with last year but had been as high as 92% in Sudan."

"It also warned that eastern African countries are fully dependent on imports for fertiliser, for which Ukraine and Russia are also a key source, and that disruption could impact local production and push food prices even further up."

Just on and on and on and no end in sight...

I'd get my spiritual house in order...Your faith is your Ark...It is the only way out.

I love you baby.