Manufacturers associations have written an open letter to the German government warning that the fresh and frozen food industries in Germany are experiencing their “worst crisis since the end of the Second World War” and could experience a wave of bankruptcies and production restrictions, resulting in gaps on store shelves.
The historic industrial powerhouse of Central Europe has been severely impacted by the region’s energy crisis, which is partly the result of Brussels’ determination to gradually phase out Russian oil and gas as “punishment” for Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine. The European Union is “in no position” to “dictate” its “will” to Russia on energy-related issues, according to President Putin.
“There is a serious chance that people in Germany won’t have enough food to eat every day. The letter, which was published by Welt and was written to Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Cem Ozdemir, Economy Minister Robert Habeck, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, warned that the situation was “more than serious.”
The request was written by the Federal Fish Association, the German Fruit Trade Association, the German Frozen Food Institute, and the Association of German Cold Stores and Cold Logistics Companies, together with five other business associations.
Companies worry that manufacturing lines will soon halt and that food distribution hubs with chilled logistics would stop. “One minute to midnight,” the letter declared, describing how some people are even prepared for potential bankruptcy.
“Take immediate action. If not, Germans’ refrigerators would soon be empty, the appeal said.
Germany’s frozen food and fresh produce industries have been particularly badly impacted by energy price shocks, and manufacturers have complained that the country has not provided them with any financial assistance throughout the crisis.
The letter also cautioned that additional issues, such as staff and raw material shortages and supply chain interruptions, were hurting the bottom lines of food producers as a whole. The appeal said that “Companies can no longer offset these enormous cost increases through savings or by passing [costs] on to consumers.”
According to Dr. Sabine Eichner, general director of the German Frozen Food Institute, Welt prepared the group letter to separate requests by several business organizations from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture after weeks of quiet.
The need for help is “huge, but nobody listens to us,” Eichner said, adding that “Minister Ozdemir obviously accepts that enterprises will go bankrupt.”
Germany and other European nations are preparing for a severe winter, which will exacerbate economic issues brought on by the rise in energy prices and the inflation squeeze as well as potential political unrest amid escalating public resentment. The German energy giant Uniper earlier this month issued a dire warning, stating that the “worst is yet to come” in terms of the current energy crisis.
For the purpose of their government’s ongoing economic hybrid war with Russia, Germans have already been urged to make sacrifices at the grocery store, at the gas station, in their houses, and in terms of personal cleanliness. The Financial Times reported on Thursday that German toilet paper manufacturers face bankruptcy. German beer companies were compelled to reduce output last week as a result of increased gas prices.
H Turner
In the latest example of Russia Sanctions BACK-FIRING on the countries which imposed them, Germans are being told to prepare for LONG electric Blackouts and Estonians are being told how to use toilets WITHOUT RUNNING WATER!
We begin in Germany where the town of Rosenheim has begun passing out instructional leaflets to city residents about how to get through lengthy electrical blackouts. The potential for lack of natural gas (from Russia) causing electric generating stations to shut down has the city of Rosenheim telling people:
"The lack of gas deliveries from Russia could not only cause cold radiators in winter. This may also endanger the power supply in Germany. Experts warn, for example, that the increased use of electric fan heaters could lead to a collapse in the power grid.
In order to prepare citizens for this emergency situation, the Upper Bavarian city of Rosenheim has now published an information flyer entitled "Blackout - and then? Advice for personal provision". This will be distributed to all households in the city. Among other things, it contains a list of food and items that you should definitely have in stock at home. "Plan as you would for a 14-day camping holiday in your own four walls," says the flyer.
The flyer also contains general information about the blackout. It explains what a blackout is, how to recognize it and what the consequences are. A statement by crisis prevention expert Herbert Saurugg also shows how seriously the city takes the situation. He is "assuming that such an event will occur in the next few years," he is quoted as saying in the flyer.
In fact, the German Association of Towns and Municipalities is also warning of power outages in the coming winter in view of the gas crisis. "There is a risk of a blackout," said the association's managing director, Gerd Landsberg, to the world on Sunday.
If Germans being told to prepare for long-term electric blackouts isn't bad enough, citizens in Estonia are being taught - on television - how to use toilets when there is no longer any running water:
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