Spain’s prime minister said Sunday that the country is facing a food crisis.
“We are in a situation, it is not a question of if.
We are in the situation of food scarcity,” Alexis Garcia de Gortari told the El País newspaper.
He was responding to a report by El Pais that said food shortages are threatening the economy.
The government has declared a state of crisis after authorities froze some fruits and vegetables and other products from supermarkets.
The food shortage is forcing many people to take drastic measures, including buying imported food, which has caused a food price boom in Spain, said Pablo Guevara, professor of food and agriculture policy at Madrid’s Madrid University.
Guevareva said Spain has had a food shortage for months and there is little room for food in supermarkets.
He said it’s been exacerbated by a nationwide food price war, exacerbated by the economic crisis.
Guesdeo also said that there are currently 5.6 million people who are still without a job.
The country’s economy is already struggling under a recession and the food shortage has forced some businesses to shut down, Gueva said.
The economic crisis has caused widespread social unrest and unemployment.
A record 7 million people in Spain are in poverty, while many are unable to pay rent or other bills.