CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- First, the COVID-19 pandemic caused supply-chain issues, and now the conflict in Ukraine is rocking food markets again.

Christopher Ripple, a lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law, says global food insecurity could grow.

According to a release, he says the food system relies on the production of a relatively small number of large food commodity exporters, with Ukraine and Russia as two of the most significant. 

Due to the ongoing conflict, crops harvested in Ukraine will likely not make it market this year and farmers will face problems with it comes to planting for the next one.

Additionally, Russia has banned exports of some commodities and sanctions are raising doubts regarding future exports.

Ripple says commodity markets are responding with volatility and price increased along the lines of the global food price crisis in the mid-2000s.

He also talks about fertilizer and energy costs going up because of the conflict in Ukraine.

With the price of fertilizer going up, some farmers may not be able to afford what they would usually purchase, if it is available for them at all.

This could lead to lower crop yields, which may compound the food insecurity risk.

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